Mystery of the Legend Keepers
by strato-abyss17
Summary: A new journey through an ancient region, with a few new faces and two new rivaling groups. Will Roku choose good or evil? Rated T for mild language and violence. RECENTLY UPDATED!
1. The Journey Begins

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

**New Bark Town, 2 years ago**

I woke up to a loud banging on my door. Dazed from staying up all night, I rolled the covers off and stumbled to my bedroom door. I opened it to find my friend Tyson standing there, breathing heavily.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" I asked. "Do you know how early it is? My parents would kill me."

"You have to come see this! It's unbelievable!" Tyson exclaimed. "Outside, pronto!"

Despite my protests, Tyson dragged me outside to the crisp air of New Bark Town. A rather large crowd of people and Pokémon alike had gathered in the center of the town.

_What's going on…? _I thought to myself.

I shoved my way into the crowd to find a strange creature laying there. It looked exhausted and very hurt.

"What is that?!" I shouted, amazed and surprised.

"I don't know," Professor Elm said as he observed the strange creature. "I think it's a Pokémon, but I've never seen one like this before."

I looked at the questionable Pokémon once more. It was a very sleek creature, red and white in color. It had a red triangle wrapped on its forehead, and it had a blue triangle on its chest. Something about this creature made me feel uneasy, yet I couldn't help feeling sorry for it.

"What are you going to do, Professor?" I asked curiously. "We can't just leave it here."

"I know. That's why I'm taking it to my lab," Professor Elm explained. "I'm going to nurse this Pokémon back to good health and do a little research. We could learn something from it."

I nodded. Professor Elm and I picked up the Pokémon, it being surprisingly light for its size, and hauled it to his lab.

* * *

**New Bark Town, Present Day**

I lay there on my back, on my favorite hill, underneath my favorite tree. The afternoon breeze felt amazing, and I was just about to doze off when a pair of hands covered my eyes.

_Heh…she's still trying that bit, eh? _I thought to myself. _You are too predictable._

"I wonder who that could be…" I said sarcastically, playing along with her little joke. I immediately felt the hands change shape, and the auburn-haired girl changed to a dragon-like creature.

"Gotcha!" I shouted, spinning around and jumping at her. However, Latias was still too fast, and I landed face-first in the dirt. I heard Latias laugh.

"Think that's funny, huh?" I said, recovering quickly. Latias flew off, and I ran after her.

Yep, just another ordinary day in New Bark Town.

Ever since that night, two years back, the strange Pokémon and I had become best friends. Professor Elm had managed to find out the Pokémon was called Latias, and that she was an incredibly rare Pokémon. We had also found out that Latias could change her appearance to look like that of a human girl so she could hide her true identity. We played this bit for a long time, and it eventually became a regular part of life in our quiet town.

"Never catch me this time, human!" Latias taunted.

"Yeah, you'd better run!" I shouted after her.

At least one good thing came out of our little game: I could run faster than anyone in town. It also led to the belief that if the zombie apocalypse happened, I'd be a survivor.

I eventually caught up to Latias, but then she cocked her eyebrow and blasted off, sending out a sonic boom that threw me into the ditch. I stood up, wiping the sweat off of my forehead, and ran off after her again.

_Never give up _was pretty much my main principle. My father had taught it to me as he was teaching me how to win a Pokémon battle. Of course, I always lost, but I always came closer to beating him than any other trainer in New Bark Town.

I caught up to Latias once again, but before she got the chance to blast off again, I jumped onto her back and latched on tight.

"Hey! No hijacking! This flight is restricted!" she protested.

"Then I guess you'll have to kick me off, if you can," I replied.

Latias glared and began twisting, turning, and rolling all over the air in an attempt to throw me off of her back, to no avail. I had gotten pretty good at holding onto her neck once I'd gotten close enough to grab on.

"Give up, Roku! You'll never prevail!" Latias declared.

"Yeah, that's not happening anytime soon!" I shouted back.

Latias shrugged her shoulders and said, "OK, you asked for it!"

Latias rolled onto her back and slowly inched towards the ground. I already knew what she was about to do, and I winced at the thought. Let's just say it's…quite a drag.

"Give up!" Latias said once more.

"Not until the fat Jigglypuff sings!" I retorted. Latias inched even closer to the ground.

"If you don't get off, we're both gonna get hurt! Now concede!" Latias warned me.

"Then do it," I said.

A few minutes later, Latias and I were both getting yelled at by Professor Elm and my mother alike as the town nurse worked on our scrapes and bruises.

"What were you thinking?!" my mother screamed. "Both of you could've gotten killed!"

"Sorry, Mom…" I groaned.

"You too, Latias! Apologize to Roku's mother!" Professor Elm demanded.

"Sorry, Mrs. Kimura…" Latias said sadly.

We both got lectured for about 10 more minutes, then it was decided that it was all an accident, and we were let off with just a slap on the wrist. Latias and I went back up to the hill and lay there, looking up at the evening sun.

After a few more minutes, I broke the silence.

"Latias…What's it like out there?" I asked.

"Mmm…depends on where you want to go," Latias responded. "Kanto's pretty great, but Johto has something that the entire world can't compare to. I guess that's why I chose to stay here."

"And what's that?" I asked, turning to face her.

Latias turned to me and said, "This place has no malicious feeling. It's a truly peaceful place, and I love it here."

Latias moved slightly closer to me. "And it also has a human who can understand me."

That was definitely a mystery. For as long as I can remember, I've been able to talk to Pokémon. I was able to understand their feelings, tell what they wanted most of all. And from what I can see from Latias' point of view, she only missed one thing. And that was her brother.

Professor Elm had also uncovered that there was a Pokémon that looked a lot like Latias, called Latios. Supposedly, they were brother and sister, and were inseparable. It remained a mystery as to where Latios was, and why they weren't together when we found Latias. I've tried my best to dig into Latias' mind and find out why they were separated, but she kept kicking me out. Eventually, I gave up.

"Don't you ever wonder where your brother could be?" I asked.

Latias looked back at the setting sun. I then saw a tear slide down her face.

"Every day…"

* * *

_Later that night…_

Latias woke up to the sound of feet hitting the dirt. She transformed into her human form and walked outside to see what was going on.

_What in the world…? _She thought to herself.

A group of strange people dressed in silver and black uniforms were slinking about in the shadows. Latias could see a few of them carrying Poke Balls.

_Trainers…_she thought._ But…something about them is different…_

Latias then felt an enormous wave of hatred fall over her. It was then that she knew who they were.

These were the people who had captured her brother.

Latias held back the urge to go out there and send them flying, and backed into her makeshift den. Professor Elm and Roku had hollowed out a small hill so that Latias would have a place to sleep. _They were always so kind to me…but I never figured this would help me in the long run…_she thought.

Snap! Latias had backed up a little too far and, being in her human form, had stepped on a stray twig.

_Uh, oh._

"There she is! Get her!"

Latias gave up on the hiding act and turned back into her Pokémon form, launching out of her den and using Dragon Breath to blast them back far enough to allow room to escape.

"Don't let her escape!" said the bigger one, who Latias assumed was the leader. "Go, Dragonite!"

The bigger one lobbed a Poke Ball out, and it exploded, revealing the massive Dragon-type Pokémon.

"Shoot her down! Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite took a deep breath and unleashed a giant pink energy beam from his mouth. Latias dodged it nimbly, however, and kept flying away.

"Grr…" he growled. "Oh, well. She can't escape our clutches for long." The man turned to the rest of his group. "We'll retreat for now! Head back to the base!"

* * *

I woke up to a crisp smell going through the air. The smell of smoke.

_What's going on…? _I thought to myself.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I walked outside. A massive scorch mark, followed by an even bigger scorch mark was in the center of town. It looked as if a big battle had taken place in the middle of the night. But, if that was the deal, how come no one had heard it?

"Professor Elm!" I shouted, running up to him. "What happened here?!"

"I'm not exactly certain," the Professor said, examining the marks. "But it looks like a Dragon Breath attack, followed by a Hyper Beam."

_Right…_I thought._ Hence the scorch marks._

As far as I knew, only Dragon-type Pokémon (and certain others) could learn Dragon Breath. And the only one I knew who actually had that move was Latias.

_Speaking of which…_I thought to myself. "Latias! Where are you?"

I waited for Latias to ring in with her opinion, but I neither heard nor saw nothing.

"Latias?!" I shouted again. "If this is a game, you can come out now!"

Still no reply. _Where could she have gone?_

I ran over to Latias' den in hopes that I would find her there, passed out under a pile of straw, but once I got there and dug around, there was no sign of her.

Something fishy was going on, and I was determined to find out what happened. I stormed out towards Route 29, the grasslands near New Bark Town.

"Roku! Where are you off to?" my mother yelled.

"I'm going to look for her," I said, determination in my voice.

"No, you're not!" Mom shouted, grabbing my collar and pulling me back. "It's dangerous out there! Wild Pokémon could attack you!"

"I'm willing to take that risk," I replied defiantly. "Latias is my friend. She could be hurt somewhere!"

"Well, Kyoko," Professor Elm said like he had an idea. "Roku is old enough to go out on his own. I think this calls for a journey."

I looked at Professor Elm. "What are you talking about?"

But before I could ask anything else, the professor had run off to his lab. He came back a few seconds later, holding a plastic card, a watch-like device, and a Poke Ball.

"First, your Trainer Card," he explained. "This shows that you're a certified Pokémon Trainer." He handed the card to me along with the watch.

"That is your P*DA, or Pokémon Digital Assistant," he continued. "This is truly a Trainer's best friend. You can keep track of your PC account, as well as funds, and it even has a Map function and a Phone."

Then, Professor Elm handed me the Poke Ball.

"This is a rare Pokémon I recently caught," he explained. "Your mother told me what your favorite Pokémon was, and I managed to find one while I was out in the field. We were saving it for your next birthday, but I think you deserve it."

I tossed the Poke Ball up in the air and released the Pokémon within. As it formed into being, I gasped.

"Th-that's an Eevee!" I shouted, barely containing my excitement. "Where did you get this?!"

"Out near Ecruteak City," Professor Elm replied. "Took me a while to find it, let alone catch it…"

I looked at my new Pokémon. Then it struck me: this Eevee looks different from others that I've seen. Instead of a brownish color, this Eevee was a light silver color.

"What's up with this Eevee?" I asked the professor. "It's not brown like the others."

"I've been wondering that myself," Professor Elm said, cocking his head. "I can't really figure it out…" Then, his eyes lit up. "But I know someone who can."

Professor Elm pulled up a map on my P*DA. "I have an acquaintance called Mr. Pokémon who lives out near Cherrygrove City, the next town over. He's always finding new things and raving about his discoveries."

"OK, so you're suggesting that I go see him?" I asked.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. "If anyone can give you the reason for that Eevee's color, it'd be him." Professor Elm focused the map on Route 30. "Mr. Pokémon lives somewhere around here. Just head straight up from Cherrygrove, and you should find him."

"Ok," I said, my heart pounding. I'll admit, I was pretty scared. I'd seen what the wild Pokémon out on Route 29 can do. They were pretty vicious.

"Are you sure Eevee will be OK?" I asked worriedly. "I mean, what if…"

Then it hit me: is Eevee a boy or a girl? Was there even any way to find out?

"Is Eevee a guy or a girl?" I asked, totally changing the subject.

"Can't you talk to Pokémon?" Elm asked.

_Oh, yeah, right._ I thought to myself, slapping myself in the forehead.

"Eevee, are you a guy or a girl?" I asked.

"What do you think, smart one?" she replied.

_Great…a sassy nature. _"Hey, I just asked. No need to be a smart alec."

"Eevee should follow your orders," Elm assured me. "As far as I know, her abilities include Growl, Tail Whip, Tackle, and Sand Attack."

"What about her Ability?" I asked, wanting to get technical.

"It's really uncommon for Eevee," Elm explained. "It's called Anticipation. She can sense whether the opponent has a potentially fatal move in their arsenal."

"Shouldn't we get going?" Eevee barked. "I hate it when he talks nerd."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Fine. Let's head out."

I made my way to the grassland area, or in other words, Route 29.

"Be careful!" I heard my mom shout. "Remember, if things get too rough, you can always come home!"

I waved goodbye and took my first steps outside of New Bark Town.

* * *

Author's note: My name's Strato Abyss, and this is going to be my first published fanfic. I figured I'd start a journey through my native region of Johto, and add a few twists along the way. First of which is the shiny Eevee. I know, a little too rare for a starter Pokémon, but that's actually what I began with when I started my Gold version 11 years ago.

Second is the adaption of the Pokémon Digital Assistant from Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon xD: Gale of Darkness. I figured I'd use something that I think is even better than the Pokegear and add a few extra bells and whistles to it.

Third is the Legend Keepers, but I'm not giving out any other info about them for the sake of preserving the storyline. You'll just have to read on to find out.

Also, this story will be taking place from two different points-of-view. Both Roku and Latias will be playing the story through their eyes.

I hope those of you who see this keep checking for new chapters, and I hope you enjoy it. I won't promise any quick updates, though, because I can only write this thing during school hours.

That's it for me. Strato Abyss signing out.


	2. Professor Oak

Chapter 2: Professor Oak

**Roku's P.O.V**

** Route 29**

"Hey! Wait!"

I turned around to see Professor Elm running up to me, holding a few small purple bottles.

"Here! Use these Potions in case your Pokémon gets hurt!" He handed the bottles to me, along with the all-important Bag that I forgot to pick up.

"Ah, thanks!" I said, putting the Potions in the bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

"Here, I also want to register my phone number, so I can call you in case something comes up." Professor Elm took control of my wrist once again and entered his number into my contacts.

"Uh…thanks. "

I proceeded into the tall grass, and almost immediately, a wild Rattata jumped out at me.

"OK, Eevee! Use Tackle!"

Eevee launched forward with amazing speed and struck the Rattata head on, dealing heavy damage. The Rattata flew back and fainted upon impact with a nearby tree.

_Holy crap! _I thought, my jaw hanging. _Eevee must have some pretty impressive Attack to do that to a Rattata._

Then it hit me. _Oh, yeah. These Pokémon aren't very strong. There could be stronger ones as I go farther in._

And I called it. I went in farther and almost lost to a Pidgey. Yeah, sad, I know, but that thing was fast. After Eevee finished it off, I gave her a Potion in case she was in danger of fainting.

"You OK?" I asked worriedly.

"I'm good," she said happily. "Onward! Let's get this done!"

I nodded and proceeded forward. As I kept walking, I could feel something watching me. I kept looking into the trees for any sign of the piercing stare that made me feel uneasy.

_Man, I hope I get to Cherrygrove soon…_

"Hey, are you OK?" I heard Eevee say.

"Huh?" I said, noticing I had stopped. "Yeah, I'm good. Guess I kinda spaced out for a bit."

"Well, we're almost there," Eevee pointed out. "I can see buildings up ahead."

"Good, maybe there's a Pokémon Center up ahead where we can rest," I suggested.

Trying to shake off my unease, I kept walking and didn't stop until I had reached Cherrygrove City.

"Hey, I thought Professor Elm said this was a city," I inquired. "It looks more like a small town to me."

I knew what a small town was like (Duh, I was raised there). Albeit, Cherrygrove was a tad bit bigger, but it was a small town nonetheless. There was a small beach to the west where the Johto region touched the sea, but it was very rocky. It didn't look like a lot of people liked to swim there.

As I walked into the town, I saw the familiar red and blue roofs of the Pokémon Center and the PokeMart, a convenience store where Trainers could buy what they needed for a long trip.

I headed into the Pokémon Center and returned Eevee to her Poke Ball (disagreeably) and let Nurse Joy work her medical magic to heal Eevee to top condition.

After a few minutes of waiting, Nurse Joy walked in and handed me Eevee's ball.

"Your Pokémon is back to full health!" Nurse Joy said with a smile.

I released Eevee, who made a face at me, and said, "Thank you."

Feeling rested as well, I exited the Pokémon Center and headed to the PokeMart, where I used the rest of my funds to buy some Poke Balls, as well as a few more Potions in case I was to run out.

"Ok," I said as I exited the PokeMart and pulled up my map. "Professor Elm said that Mr. Pokémon lived out on Route 30. That's up north."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" Eevee said, raring to go. "Let's get moving!"

"Right!" I said. I ran off to the entrance to Route 30, when I bumped into this kid with blazing red hair.

"Ah!" I said, pulling him up. "Hey, you OK?"

"Watch where you're going, jerkwad!" he snapped. Then he shoved past me and stomped off.

"Wow, so much for gratitude," Eevee growled. "He could've been a little more courteous than that."

"I'm not concerned with that," I said. "He looked like he was in a hurry. I wonder where he was going."

"Well, we don't have time to tail after him," Eevee pointed out. "I bet Professor Elm called Mr. Pokémon ahead of time and told him about our request. He's probably expecting us."

"Right," I agreed. "Don't want to keep him waiting. Let's go."

Eevee and I continued on our journey to Mr. Pokémon's house, with the memory of that redhead in my mind. What was he after? And why was he in such a hurry? I intended to find out after Eevee's appraisal.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Viridian Forest**

Latias looked down from her hiding spot in the Viridian Forest's overgrowth. The mysterious group of people who had tailed her to New Bark Town had also followed her to Viridian City, and this was the closest hiding spot. The Gym Leader wasn't exactly what you'd call "hospitable."

_Hah…I think they're gone…_

Latias dropped down from the trees and took a look around. Even though she couldn't see them, she could still feel their presence. They had a lot of hiding spots in a forest like this, and at any moment, they could spring out and capture her, much like they did Latios.

Her eventual decision was to take to the skies above the Kanto region.

Latias folded her wings back and shot through the tree cover, flying up into the sky. She felt relief, for she could sense no one but the Pokémon of the sky.

But then, things took a turn for the worst.

"There she is! We've located Latias!"

Latias looked back to see 3 people riding 3 of the most fearsome Dragon-type Pokémon: Dragonite, Salamence, and worst of all: Hydreigon.

Latias had a mental facepalm. Why didn't she think of how many flying Pokémon they had access to? And why didn't she camouflage herself? That wasn't important right now, however. Now, all she needed to think about was escape.

_If they want a dogfight, they're gonna get one!_

Latias folded her wings back and barrel-rolled to starboard, with the three Dragon Riders following close behind. She rolled, dashed, and twisted frantically to exhaust the Dragons' energy as quickly as possible. However, as hard as she tried, she couldn't shake them.

"Hydreigon! Use Dark Pulse!"

The black dragon sent out a creepy black pulse of energy, which Latias narrowly dodged, and activated her camouflage.

"Hey! Where'd she go?!"

_Now it's MY turn, _Latias grinned.

One by one, she shot the dragons and their Trainers out of the air with her Dragon Breath. Salamence, however, survived the attack, and had sent out a Dragon Breath of his own, which missed Latias by a long shot. Then, Salamence's face turned to one of disbelief and horror as Latias appeared right in front of him and launched her Mist Ball point-blank into his face. A massive explosion rang out, and Salamence and his rider fell out of the sky, both of them smoking and unconscious.

"Phew…that was rough," she sighed.

Not wasting any of her precious time, Latias put her camouflage back up and blasted off to the horizon.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 30**

I ended up at Mr. Pokémon's house after some pretty intense battles with the locals. 3 Spinarak and a Hoothoot later, and I was ready to call it quits and head back. But a Trainer never quits. Eevee continuously reminded me of that.

I knocked on his door and stepped inside. Two somewhat old men were sitting at a desk, chatting.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized, making my presence known. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Ah, you must be Roku!" Mr. Pokémon said. "Professor Elm told me you'd be coming!"

"Told you so," Eevee bragged.

"Whatever," I hissed. Then I pointed at Eevee and said, "This is the Pokémon I was telling you about."

Mr. Pokémon knelt down and began to examine Eevee.

"As long as this guy doesn't get handsy, we'll be OK," Eevee said, an angrily nervous tone in her voice.

"Don't worry, Eevee," I reassured her. "He's not going to hurt you. I'll make sure of that."

"Hmm…" Mr. Pokémon hummed, a curious look on his face. "Wait, what's this?"

"What's up?" I asked curiously.

"There's something around this Eevee's neck," Mr. Pokémon pointed out. "I'm gonna see if I can find it in her chest fur."

"Hey!" Eevee snapped as Mr. Pokémon dug into her fur. She flung her head down and bit Mr. Pokemon's hand.

"OW!" Mr. Pokémon exclaimed, pulling his hand back. "Well, you're a feisty one, aren't you?"

"Eevee! He wasn't gonna hurt you!" I said, bending down and picking her up. As I did, I felt something strange around Eevee's neck. I dug through her fur for a second and found a strange charm tied to a string around her neck.

"What is this?" I said, looking at the charm. It was purple in color and shaped like a crescent moon.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Mr. Pokémon said, taking a gander at the charm. Then he gasped "Th-that's a Lunar Charm! Where did you find this?!"

"I didn't even know it was there," I said. "Why, is it rare?"

"Very!" Mr. Pokémon exclaimed. "The Lunar Charm is an item that is exclusively for the Pokémon Umbreon. These charms have been long gone since they were made in the Sinnoh region. It's supposed to help Eevee evolve into Umbreon, as well as give it major power when it's being held by a Umbreon."

"It is quite rare to see an Eevee holding such a rare item," the other guy rang in. "Where did this Pokémon come from?"

"Well, I got it from Professor Elm as sort of an early birthday present," I explained. "I think he caught it near Ecruteak City."

"Hmm…" the other guy said, deep in thought.

"Maybe the Kimono Girls can give him some insight," Mr. Pokémon suggested. "If anyone can help us, it's them."

"Where can I find these Kimono Girls?" I asked.

"You'll find them in Ecruteak City, in the Dance Theater," the other guy explained. "You'll have to go west from Violet City if you want to get there fast."

"Thanks," I said. "By the way, I never caught your name."

"Ah, right. So sorry," the guy said. "My name is Oak."

"Huh…Wait, Oak?" I said excitedly. "As in 'Professor Oak'?!"

I thought I recognized his voice from somewhere. Professor Oak had a really famous radio show, called "Pokémon Talk" that aired every morning. His show pretty much taught me everything I know about Pokémon.

"Wow, it's an honor to meet you!" I said. "I listen to your show every morning!"

"Well, that's great!" he laughed. "Say, you look like a fine Trainer. How about helping me out?"

"Uh, sure. What do you need help with?" I asked.

Professor Oak handed me an expansion card for my P*DA. I plugged it in, and a new Pokedex app had installed itself onto my P*DA.

"I would like you to help me complete the Pokedex. It's a tough job and I'm looking for the best to help me accomplish it. Can you do this?"

I was ecstatic. Professor Oak was one of the best at finding good Trainers, but I had to ask him.

"But, Professor…Why choose me?"

Professor Oak placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "When Professor Elm said he was going to give you that Pokémon, he must have known that you'd treat her with love and trust. We are known to see the potential of young Trainers. I know that you can do this."

I closed my eyes. "I'm not sure of how much help I can be, but I'll try." Then I opened them, showing my confidence. "I'll try."

"Good. I'll leave you to it." Professor Oak looked at his watch. "Oh, is it that time already? I've got to go to Goldenrod City for my usual talk show. It was good to meet you, Roku."

"Same here," I said, moving aside to let the professor out the door.

That's when I realized: I'd never figured out the mystery behind Eevee's odd color. I loaded the Pokedex and brought up Eevee's entry.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon," said an electronic voice. "Thanks to its unstable genetic makeup, this special Pokémon conceals many different possible evolutions."

I flipped through a few pages on Eevee's info and found the Forms page. The heading at the top above my Eevee's appearance said "Female, Shiny."

I gasped. Shiny Pokémon were extremely rare and valuable. I never knew why I didn't notice it before, but when I thought about it, Eevee did kind of have a shimmer to her fur.

"By the way," Mr. Pokémon piped up. "Could you get Professor Elm to examine this for me?"

I turned to face him and saw that he was holding a strange glass case with a rather large Egg in it.

"Is that a Pokémon Egg?" I asked, knowledgeable about this subject from the many appraisals that I'd witnessed.

"That's what I want to know. Tell Professor Elm that a friend of mine from Ecruteak gave that to me."

"Got it," I said, taking the Egg from Mr. Pokémon.

"Be very careful with that Egg," Mr. Pokémon warned me.

"You've got nothing to worry about," I replied. "I've got this under control."

I exited the cottage after extending my thanks to Mr. Pokémon. As I was about to make my way back to Cherrygrove, my P*DA rang with a call from Professor Elm.

"Hello?"

A holographic image of Professor Elm's face appeared as I answered. He looked very distressed and upset.

"H-Hello? Roku?" he said nervously. "I-It's a disaster! Uh, um, it's just terrible!"

"Hey, calm down! Tell me what happened," I said.

"What should I do? It…oh, no…Please get back here now!"

Click! He had hung up before I had a chance to ask what happened.

"Sounds like the prof's in trouble!" Eevee said.

"C'mon! Let's roll out!"

Determined to find out, Eevee and I hauled tail back to Cherrygrove, ignoring any wild Pokémon that attempted to jump out at us and pick a fight. As we got back and were about to take the road to New Bark Town, we were stopped by a guy with long red hair.

"Humph…such a waste, giving a rare Pokémon to a wimp like you," he scoffed.

"What was that?" I said aggressively, going into a battle stance. "You'd better have the skills to back up those words!"

"You obviously don't know how to pick your fights," the redhead said. "Well, I, too, have a good Pokémon. Let me show you what I mean!"

I'm right here!" I challenged. "Come and get some!"

* * *

Author's Note: Yeah, this seemed like a great place to break off. Leave you readers hanging until I update it. Mwahaha.

Anyway, I guess I could give you a little insight on what's gonna happen next. First of all, I've still gotta decide what Pokémon I'm gonna give my rival. It has to be a type that's strong against mine, so…maybe a Riolu? Or maybe I could incorporate Kalos into this and give him a Pancham or something. I'll decide on something.

Also, there will be another character working her way into the story as Roku's companion. Not so much as a love interest (not now, anyway…) but more as a partner. I've got to figure out where, when, and how I'm gonna introduce her. That's gonna be fun…

And that's all for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	3. New Faces

Chapter 3: New Faces

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Cherrygrove City**

"Go, Riolu!"

"Go, Eevee!"

The two of us sent out our Pokémon and the battle began.

"Eevee, use Tail Whip!" Eevee's superior speed let her go first. She wagged her tail cutely, and Riolu seemed to let his guard down slightly.

"What are you doing?!" the redhead barked. "Use Foresight!"

Riolu's eyes sharpened, and now he could lock on to Eevee's every move.

"Now, use Quick Attack!" he roared.

"Eevee! Tail Whip once again!"

Riolu's attack came in hot, and Eevee was slammed back by the force of the hit. However, Riolu was showing no signs of defensive tendencies.

"Our turn! Use Tackle!"

Eevee launched forward and slammed into Riolu, knocking him back quite far. He slid across the ground and righted himself.

"C'mon, you worthless Pokémon! Use Quick Attack!"

"Eevee, use Tackle!"

The two Pokémon dashed forward and collided head-on, knocking each other back by the force of the collision. However, Riolu was showing the most weakness, as he was about to fall over.

"Now's our chance, Eevee! Hit him with Tackle once again!"

Eevee dashed forward again, ready to finish the battle and claim victory. But the redhead had other plans, ordering Riolu to use Endure. Eevee's attack scored a direct hit, but Riolu was still up and ready from the effect of Endure.

"Destroy them! Quick Attack!"

Riolu blasted forward and struck Eevee hard, knocking her back. She landed on the ground and slid, not moving after she had stopped.

"Eevee! Are you OK?!" I shouted frantically. "Say something!"

"Mmm…Rrgh!" she groaned as she stood up shakily. "I'm not losing today!"

"Yeah! Use Tackle and finish them!" I shouted happily.

Eevee launched forward with even more speed than before and slammed into Riolu, sending him flying one last time. This time, once he landed, he didn't move.

"Yes! We won!" I shouted excitedly.

"We did it!" Eevee shouted, sharing the joy.

"Humph…useless Pokémon," the redhead scoffed as he returned Riolu to its Poke Ball. "Listen, you. You only won because my Pokémon was weak."

"That's no way to treat your partner!" Eevee shouted. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"What the hell's your problem?" the redhead said, obviously not knowing what Eevee was getting at.

"Eevee, stand down," I ordered. Eevee humphed and backed down.

"Whatever. A wimp like you would never reach my level," the redhead continued. "I'm gonna be the world's strongest Pokémon Trainer. You just make sure you stay out of my way."

And with that remark, he shoved past me and walked off. As he did, I saw his Trainer Card fall out of his pocket. I picked it up and read the name.

"Hey! Give me that! That's my Trainer Card!"

Darius ran back and snatched it out of my hand. Then a look of fear spread across his face.

"Oh, no…you saw my name…"

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Ecruteak City**

Latias decided to touch down in Ecruteak City and take a break. She knew that the group that was after her couldn't track her here near as fast.

_Hmm…_she thought._ Guess it wouldn't hurt to rest here for the time being._

Latias transformed into her human form and walked out of the Burned Tower, where she had decided to hide out for a time.

_No one will expect a human to live in the Burned Tower,_ she thought. _I'll have to keep my camouflage on if I'm to stay hidden._

Almost immediately, she bumped into a woman dressed in a very flashy kimono.

"Oh, excuse me," Latias said very politely. Then she realized that no one could understand her.

"How did you do that?"

_Huh? _She thought.

"How did you speak without moving your lips?" the woman asked very curiously. "Wait…are you…?"

_Uh, oh…_Latias thought nervously. _Cover blown._

"Don't worry, I'm a friend," the woman said reassuringly. "I'm a Legend Keeper."

Latias sighed with relief as the woman pulled out the insignia: a silver sword and a pair of yellow wings on a black triangle background. Every Legendary Pokémon knew of the Legend Keepers and their cause.

"Come with me," the woman said, putting a soft hand on Latias' shoulder. "We can keep you safe."

Latias was reluctant at first. Who was to say she really WAS a Legend Keeper? But, then again, who was to say she wasn't? Latias eventually nodded and followed the girl to a small building.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 29**

"Why'd you give that guy his Trainer Card back?" Eevee asked me. "You could've kept it so he couldn't battle anymore."

"First of all," I started, "Nothing's going to stop a Trainer from battling. Second, it was the right thing to do. Sure, he was a total douche, but it didn't seem right to just steal his Trainer Card."

"Yeah, sure, but did you see how he controlled his Pokémon?" Eevee said worriedly. "It was like his Pokémon was just a pawn on a chess board. I felt sorry for that poor Riolu."

"Who are we to judge his style?" I asked. "All Trainers have their own style. You've got to remember; he almost finished you."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Eevee said sheepishly.

"By the way," I asked, turning to face Eevee, "I never asked you this, but how do you feel about having a name?"

"Huh?" Eevee said, confused. "Well, I never really thought about it until now. I guess it would be OK. Why ask?"

"Well, I figured since you were no ordinary Eevee and you're holding an extremely rare item, I'd give you a name," I explained. "'Eevee' just sounds too generic."

"OK, so, what do you have?" Eevee asked. "Got anything?"

I thought for a little while, then a light bulb popped up in my head.

"How about 'Luna'?" I asked.

Eevee's eyes lit up as she heard that name. "I like it. Luna…where'd you get that from?"

"Well, I figured since you're pretty much destined to become a Umbreon, I'd give you something that fit," I explained. "Besides, your fur has a very beautiful gleam in the light of the moon."

It had turned to night as I was heading out after battling Darius. Luna and I had taken a few hours' rest at the Pokémon Center before heading back out to New Bark Town.

Then I remembered. "Oh, crap! We totally forgot about Professor Elm!"

I scooped up Luna and hauled it all the way back to New Bark Town without stopping for a breath. I dashed into the lab, ignoring the police's orders to keep everyone out.

"Professor Elm! What happened?!" I asked.

"Oh, Roku! I'm so glad you came back!" Professor Elm said frantically. "One of the Pokémon I was studying was stolen!"

"What?!" I shouted. "H-How…?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out," one of the policemen said as he stepped up. "And the first rule of detective work is 'The one who did it always comes back to the scene of the crime'. So…you must be the one who did it…"

"NO!"

I turned around to see my best friend Tyson running up with his partner, a Pikachu he called "Sparx". He shoved the policeman away from me and said, "Roku's not the one who did it! I saw it! It was a guy with long red hair!"

"You can't be serious!" I shouted. "Luna and I battled a guy like that! Was the stolen Pokémon a Riolu, by any chance?"

"Yes! Yes, that's the one!" Professor Elm shouted with glee. "Did you manage to get the Pokémon back?!"

"Well, no…" I said sadly. "We weren't aware that it was stolen."

"Oh…well, there's no use crying over spilt milk," the professor sighed.

"Did you at least catch the kid's name?" the policeman asked as he pulled out a notepad and pencil.

"Yes," I confirmed. "His name is Darius Walker. Last time I saw him, he was headed out to Violet City."

The policeman jotted the information down and put his notepad away. "Thanks, kid. This'll really help with my investigation. We'll keep you posted if we catch him."

"Thank you, officer," Professor Elm said.

After a few minutes, all of the police had cleared out and were long gone. It was just me, Tyson, Professor Elm, and our Pokémon in the lab.

"Oh, Roku…what am I going to do?" the professor groaned. "They say that Pokémon controlled by bad people become bad themselves…"

"It's not your fault, Professor…" I said reassuringly. "There was nothing you could do."

"We have to go get that Pokémon back!" Tyson shouted. "I won't let thieves like that get away with such a horrible crime!"

"As much as I would like that, do you think that Riolu would be the same afterwards?" Professor Elm asked. "Once a Pokémon bonds with its Trainer, there's no going back. The bonds between Pokémon and Trainer are far more complex than even quantum physics. Breaking those bonds could mean trouble for the Pokémon, and I don't want to put Riolu through that."

"Right…" Tyson agreed.

"Oh, by the way," I piped up, taking the Egg out of my Bag, "Mr. Pokémon wanted you to examine this."

Professor Elm took one look at the Egg, then he jumped back.

"Whoa! Is that an Egg?" the professor exclaimed. "That's amazing! To study Pokémon Evolution in such an early stage! Where'd he get this?"

"He said a friend in Ecruteak gave it to him," I explained.

"Hmm…I want to study this for a while. In the meantime, can you tell me what Mr. Pokémon thought of your Eevee?"

"Well, all we managed to find out about Luna is that she's destined to evolve into Umbreon," I explained. "I got the color info from the Pokedex. It seems like Luna here is a Shiny Pokémon."

"Shiny Pokémon, huh? Well, that explains it," the professor said. Then he jumped again. "Wait, where'd you get a Pokedex?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you," I said, pulling up the Pokedex app. "I met Professor Oak over at Mr. Pokémon's house and he gave me a Pokedex!"

"Are you serious?! Roku, that's incredible!" Tyson piped up. "That means you'll be traveling all over Johto, seeing all the sights! Lucky you, brother!"

"Yeah, I guess so," I said. "It also gives me the chance to go out looking for Latias, wherever she may be…"

"Hey, Roku…" the professor chimed in, "Since you're going out on a real journey, why don't you take the Pokémon Gym challenge?"

I never really thought about that before. I knew that all around Johto, there were Pokémon Gyms that really tested the bonds between you and your Pokémon. The Trainer who could conquer all the Gyms in Johto could have a shot at battling the Elite Four, and a shot at the title of Pokémon League Champion.

"It does sound interesting…" I said, thinking deeply. It sounded rough, but I remember the story about a kid my age from Pallet Town all the way in Kanto managed to beat the Pokémon League. I might have a pretty good shot at it.

"OK. I'll do it!" I said confidently.

"I'll warn you right now, Roku," the professor said. "The journey will be a long and challenging one. I think you should rest up for tonight. Your mother should know what you're getting ready to do, also."

"Ok, Professor. I'll go home for the night," I said. "C'mon, Luna. Let's go. We can leave tomorrow."

* * *

"…Mom?"

"What's up, dear?"

Mom and I were sitting at the table that night after she'd fixed dinner. It was that time that I decided to tell her.

"I'm gonna be leaving on a journey tomorrow," I explained. "I'll be traveling all around Johto, taking on the Gyms scattered throughout the region."

Mom looked at me with a slightly sad expression. "Tomorrow, huh?"

"I'm sorry, I—"

"No, don't apologize," Mom said. "All boys leave home someday. I'm actually proud that you've decided to take charge. But…that's not the only reason for your journey, is it?"

I smiled slightly. My mother could always read me like an open book. It was actually kind of creepy sometimes.

"No," I said, the smile leaving my face. "You may have already known this, but I know Latias is out there somewhere. And I intend to find her…and the people who tried to hurt her."

"I got it…" Mom said. "I want to help too, but how…?" Then she lit up. "I know! Every time you get prize money from a Trainer, I'll save some of it for you! Money is important on a long journey, after all."

"Haha…OK," I said. "I'll leave you to it."

* * *

**Gordon's P.O.V.**

**Team Prime Base**

"So…you've failed me yet again, Gordon…"

Gordon stood alongside the two other admins of Team Prime, Jay and Aria, facing punishment for letting another Legendary Pokémon escape.

"Sir, we will get her," Gordon stammered. "I swear on it!"

The leader turned around in his chair and locked eyes with Gordon. He immediately felt a chill roll down his spine.

"Fail me again and I will have your heads on a stake! Now LEAVE!"

The three admins wasted no time in hightailing it out of the boss's office.

"Master...how can I be of assistance?" said a voice from the shadows.

"Follow them," the leader said. "If they mess up again, finish the job for them. That should be simple for you, eh, Darkrai?"

The shadowy black Pokémon revealed itself from the shadows. "It will be my pleasure."

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, the Prince of Darkness has entered, and so has the rivaling team. These people have the tenacity of Team Rocket with the ideals of Team Plasma…ok, maybe not them, but they're pretty messed up.

The next chapter will be of Roku's journey to Violet City. This is also where I've decided to introduce the female persona I spoke of earlier. Other than that, there's not much to put in.

That's it for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	4. Partners

Chapter 4: Partners

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**New Bark Town**

"Goodbye! Don't catch anything I wouldn't catch!"

"Be careful! Stay safe!"

"Let me know when you conquer the League!"

With these farewells in my mind, I waved goodbye and headed out onto Route 29. This time, I knew I needed a team; Luna wasn't gonna do it all by herself.

As I traveled into the grass, a wild Pidgey swooped up and struck Luna in an uppercut fashion. She flew up and hit the ground hard.

"Luna! Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

Luna was perfectly fine, as she jumped back up on her feet, shook vigorously, and launched a flurry of star-like beams at the unsuspecting Pidgey.

"Whoa!" I shouted, astounded. "Was that Swift?!"

"I don't know, but that felt awesome!" she yipped.

Remembering that she had felled a Pidgey, I located it and lobbed a Poke Ball at it. It popped open, sending the Pokémon into the virtual area. It wiggled once, twice, three times, then it clicked, meaning a confirmed capture.

"Yes!" I shouted with glee, running up to get my new partner.

"Hey!"

I jumped back to see a girl jump right out of a nearby tree and land perfectly, kind of like a cat.

"Was it you who caught that Pidgey?" she asked me.

"Uh, yeah," I answered. "Why?"

"No reason. I just like seeing what kind of Pokémon that Trainers are interested in." She held out a hand. "My name's Reia. What's your name?"

"I-It's Roku," I said, taking her hand and giving it a firm shake. "And this is my partner, Luna."

"How goes it?" Luna chirped.

"Pretty good, thank you," Reia said.

"Huh? You can speak to Pokémon?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, ever since I was young," Reia explained. "That's how I met my partner, Lyra."

I looked on as a Vulpix popped up from Reia's hood.

"Hi! Nice to meet you!" she spoke.

"Nice to meet you, too, Lyra," I said. "My name is Roku."

Lyra outstretched her paw, and I took it and shook it as well.

"Wait, you can talk to Pokémon, too?!" Reia gasped.

"Yeah, same as you."

We looked at each other for a short moment. Now that I noticed it, Reia was actually quite beautiful. She had medium-length blonde hair, and a pair of stunning blue eyes. She wore a white and blue dress, with the skirt extending high up her waist. She really did look like someone from a different region.

"So, where are you from?" I asked, breaking the silence. "I've never seen your face before."

"I'm from Vaniville Town all the way in Kalos," she replied. "It was quite the journey to get here. You have no idea how good it felt to get off that boat after 3 weeks!"

"Haha, yeah," I laughed.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I was born here, in New Bark Town," I explained. "I actually just started out on my conquest of the Johto League."

"Hey, me too!" Reia exclaimed. "Say, you want to travel together? I'm a good Trainer and I know my way around a fight, if you'll have me."

"Well, I'm not really concerned with how good of a Trainer you are, but sure, I'll let you come with me," I said. "But…now that you mention it…I kinda want to test your skills myself. How about a one-on-one battle? My Luna versus your Lyra."

"OK! Let's have it out!" she confirmed.

We paced away from each other for a short distance. Then we turned around. Both of our expressions turned from friendly to confident.

"Go, Luna!"

"Go, Lyra!"

The two Pokémon jumped forward and prepared for battle.

"I hope you're ready for a butt-kicking!" Lyra challenged.

"I'm ready to dish one out, if that's what you mean!" Luna retorted.

"OK, Lyra!" Reia started. "Use Ember!"

Lyra spit many tiny embers from her mouth.

"Luna, counter with Swift!"

Luna launched her attack and destroyed the small fire attack. The rays being much larger, they kept going and collided with Lyra.

"Score! Direct hit!" Luna cheered.

"Lyra! I know you can still battle! Use Confuse Ray!"

Confuse Ray. A very dirty and cheap tactic. Lyra jumped up and sent out an eerie ray of light into Luna's eyes, and she started to stumble around as if she was intoxicated.

"Luna! Stay focused!" I shouted. "Use Sand Attack!"

Luna wildly kicked sand in Lyra's direction, but didn't make contact.

"You missed! Lyra! Use Ember!"

Lyra spit more embers and hit Luna directly, singeing her fur slightly.

"C'mon, Luna, you have to snap out of it!" I shouted. "Use Swift!"

At least I knew that Swift always hit its target. Despite Luna facing slightly away from Lyra, the star-shaped rays honed in on Lyra and made direct contact.

"Lyra! Use Ember!"

Lyra launched her attack again. However, probably out of sheer luck, Luna just barely stumbled out of the range of the stream of embers.

"OK! Now, Luna, hit 'em with Sand Attack!"

Luna shook her head and kicked sand in Lyra's face, sending her sprawling back.

"Yeah! Now use Tackle!"

Luna dashed forward and slammed into Lyra, sending her flying and knocking her out, securing victory.

"No! Lyra!" Reia cried.

"Aw, yeah! That's how it's done!" I cheered.

Reia ran up to Lyra's limp body, spraying a Potion on her wounds. Lyra looked up at her and smiled slightly.

"We lost, didn't we?" Lyra asked.

"It's OK," Reia said softly. "You were great. We almost had 'em."

"Hey," I said as I walked up to her. "Good battle. I like your style."

"Heh…thanks," she said sheepishly. "You and Luna were awesome! I've never seen a combination like you two."

"Thanks," I said. "I think we should hurry up to Cherrygrove so we can rest our Pokémon. I can tell that Lyra's hurting from that battle."

Reia nodded. I held out a hand to help her up, and we ran off for Cherrygrove together. Before we went, I made sure to pick up the Poke Ball that held my recently caught Pidgey.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Ecruteak Dance Theater**

"So…this is the Johto division, huh?"

The Kimono Girl had led Latias to the Dance Theater, where they took a hidden elevator to a massive underground headquarters; the Legend Keepers' Johto Division.

"This is where you'll stay until Team Prime is eradicated," the Kimono Girl said, leading Latias to a room. She opened the door to reveal an environment that Latias herself loved.

"So, you share a liking to New Bark Town, too?" the Kimono Girl asked.

"Yeah…" Latias said. "It's nice and quiet. No signs of maliciousness either." Then she remembered.

New Bark Town wasn't quite the same without the people who had taken care of her. Professor Elm, and…

"…Roku…"

"Huh?"

Latias snapped out of her vision and looked at the Kimono Girl, who was looking at her oddly.

"Oh, nothing," she said. "Just revisiting some old memories."

"You miss someone, don't you?" she asked sadly.

"How do you…?"

"I know what you're thinking," she said. "You miss your brother, Latios, as well as another boy…a human…" Then she gasped.

"This boy…Did he have an ability to speak to Pokémon?" she asked.

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Latias confirmed. "Why?"

The Kimono Girl was frozen for a few seconds. Then she pulled out her P*DA.

"Sorry, I've got some phone calls to make," she said. "Make yourself comfortable."

Latias nodded and entered the room. The Kimono Girl closed the door and dialed a number into her P*DA.

"Hello?"

"Professor Elm, it's Zuki," she said. "Do you know how far Roku has gone yet?"

"Roku?" Elm asked. "Hmm…judging from when he left, he should be heading towards Violet City by now."

"Good…Do you have the Egg?"

"Yes, I do! It's quite an odd little Egg," Professor Elm said. "It seemed to have this slight glow when Roku was in the room, but now it's dull."

"Right…well, I need you or someone else to deliver the Egg to him," Zuki said. "It is imperative that he holds the Egg."

"You think he might be a chosen one?" Elm asked. "Why else would you have given Mr. Pokémon that Egg if you knew it was very special?"

"That will all be revealed to him when he is ready," Zuki said. "I feel as if he is not quite ready to control the responsibility yet."

"Right…Well, I can get one of my assistants to head out to Violet City right now," Elm confirmed.

"Good. I'll be up there as well," Zuki said. "I must go now. See you again."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 30**

After a short rest at the Pokémon Center, Reia and I had set our sights on Violet City, the location of our first Gym Battle. We had heard from a couple of Trainers in the area (after sending their butts packing) that the Gym Leader was an expert on Flying-type Pokémon. As long as I had Luna's Swift, I had nothing to worry about.

We were halfway across Route 30 when my stomach growled.

_Man…_I thought, _I knew I should've gotten some food._

"Hey, you alright?" Reia asked seriously. "Your stomach just, like, barked at me."

Right then, Reia's stomach growled.

"I could say the same for you," I said. "Maybe we should've filled up on other things rather than supplies."

"That's cool," Reia said, moving towards the tree line. "I'll go grab some Berries or something. There's usually a lot of fruit in these trees."

"Hey! Wait!" I shouted. But Reia was already climbing the tree and disappeared from view.

"She seems really good at that," Luna said, impressed.

"Well, all we can do is wait for her to come back," I said, taking a seat on the ground.

A few minutes later, Reia exited the overgrowth, her and Lyra hauling a crapload of Berries and fruits, enough to last us at least a week.

"You found all this up in the trees?!" I said, astonished.

"You just gotta know what to look for," Reia responded.

"You didn't pick anything poisonous, did you?" I asked nervously.

"Boy, aren't we paranoid?" Reia laughed. "Nah, this won't kill you. Here, have an Oran Berry."

We sat down and had ourselves a small feast of Berries. Luckily, I knew how to cook, and so Luna and I had gotten some sturdy twigs and used them to cook shish-ka-bubs over the fire.

"Man, this is amazing, Roku!" Reia said, taking a bite. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

"Call it a family trade," I said modestly. "My mother's a better cook than I am. Whatever I fix, she can make ten times better."

"Ah, I see," she said.

After we had finished eating, Reia and I had just set up our sleeping bags and were now looking up at the night sky.

"Roku?"

"Mmm?"

"What's the reason for your journey?"

I rolled over and looked at Reia. "What do you mean?"

Reia looked over at me. "One doesn't leave home at your age just to conquer the Pokémon League. What's the real purpose of your journey?"

"Well…" I started. If I told her about Latias, she'd think I was crazy. I was better off only telling her half of the truth.

"I'm going out to look for a friend whom I haven't seen for a while," I half-lied. "She just left our town without even saying goodbye or where she was going…and I've got to find her."

"Oh…" Reia said, a slight tone of disappointment in her voice.

"What about you? What's the purpose of your journey?" I asked.

"I haven't really figured that out yet," she explained. "I've traveled all over Kalos and I haven't even figured out what I want to do with my life. It's kind of sad, really…"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," I said reassuringly. "You'll find your purpose. You just gotta keep looking."

Reia looked at me and smiled. "Thanks for letting me come with you."

"Heh, no problem," I replied.

The both of us looked back up at the starry night sky. It wasn't long after our chat that I fell asleep.

* * *

**Unknown P.O.V.**

**Route 30**

"Sir…I have visual on the individual. Tell me when."

"Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage. Your orders were to follow him and Blue jay without confrontation. Do you understand?"

"Alright, fine. I never get to have any fun around here…"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 30**

"C'mon, let's go gather some more food," I said quietly. "We need to get started as fast as possible."

"Oh, fine. Whatever you say, lover boy," Luna teased.

Ever since that night, Luna has been badgering me about having a crush on Reia. I keep telling her to focus on the journey at hand, but of course, she won't listen. Once I mentioned the idea of going out looking for food, she accused me of trying to impress her with breakfast in bed.

OK, so maybe that part of it is true. I guess I felt like it was the nice thing to do.

As I went out to the tree line, I saw something gleam out of the corner of my eye. I looked over in the direction where Reia was still sleeping and found the source of the light. I walked over and picked it up.

"What is that?" Luna asked curiously.

I'll admit, even I was at a loss. It was a badge of some sort, a silver sword with a yellow pair of wings on a black triangle background. It looked really official and important.

"Hey, there's some sort of writing on the back," Luna pointed out.

I turned the badge over to see a small inscription.

REIA SAKURA

ID NO. 30442

"Wha…" I said. "This belongs to Reia…but, what is this?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Luna accused. "Reia's tailing you. Something about you interests whatever organization she belongs to. What if she's evil?"

"That's not true."

I gasped and whirled around to see Reia standing there with a sad look on her face.

"Reia…who are you, really?" I asked seriously.

"My name is Reia Sakura," she explained. "I'm a Legend Keeper."

* * *

Author's Note: So…the lovely Reia isn't who she seems…

Yeah, that was a bit of a twist, but there is an origin. I actually thought of the Legend Keepers as I was playing through Pokémon X. I had just rebooted it, playing as my female persona, (named Reia) (No, it isn't weird; it IS a role-playing game, after all) and I think: Hey, maybe I should do this as my first online fanfic.

Also, an idea on Roku's Pokémon team. I'm planning on using my competitive team on X, which consists of a female Ninetales with Drought, (sadly, Reia's will have Flash Fire) a female shiny Umbreon with Inner Focus (there's Luna), Latias, male Lucario (I will be incorporating Mega Evolution; this is a modern journey), male Serperior (without Contrary, sadly), and a male Delphox with Magician. A little overpowered, yes, but it has all of my partner Pokémon from each of the regions, and I intend to keep it that way. I don't have any idea on what Reia's gonna have on her team, but I will tell you that she will have a Legendary Pokémon on her side; she IS a Legend Keeper.

Anyway, I guess I kinda lied about what this chapter was gonna be. They'll get to Violet City in the next one, and they will take on the Sprout Tower before taking on Falkner.

That's it for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	5. Secrets Revealed

Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 30**

"L-Legend Keeper?"

"We're an organization dedicated to the protection of Legendary Pokémon," Reia explained. "We seek out the Legendary Pokémon of each region and protect them from evil."

"But…if you're such an important person, why follow me?" I asked. "I mean, is our partnership, our friendship, even real?"

"Of course, Roku! I'm not the one who just chooses to deceive some random Trainer!" Reia exclaimed. "I'm actually a little hurt that you'd believe that…"

"Oh, YOU'RE hurt?!" I exploded. "How would you like to know that the only Trainer you knew outside of your home town was a secret agent?! I thought you were actually my friend, but I guess you're after me because I can speak to Pokémon!"

"Actually, I was sent to recruit you because of your gift," Reia said, her look of sadness turning to one of hurt. "I thought you'd be a good addition to the team, but apparently, you don't want anything to do with me now…"

My expression softened up. I could tell that Reia's feelings were hurt.

"Look, you could've told me who you were before this would've happened," I said. "I wouldn't have thought any less of you, and you know that."

_Did she really know that about me? _I started thinking. _I mean, we haven't even known each other for that long._

"…Of course."

I snapped out of my thoughts. "Huh?"

"I guess I should've told you…" Reia said. "Actually, I know I should've told you, but my commanding officer said that this was supposed to be covert. So I had to keep my real identity a secret. Well, part of it, anyway…"

I got what she was trying to say. No one would come up out of the blue and say they're from a super-secret organization unless they could be trusted.

"So, you wanted to travel with me to see if I could be trusted," I said. "Is that correct?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "But that's not the only reason. I wanted someone whom I could trust, not just for the organization, but as a friend."

Reia walked up closer to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Our friendship is very real, and I never want you to think of me as anything else."

I stared deep into Reia's eyes. Her soft blue eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"…OK." I nodded and continued, "I'm sorry for blowing up on you like that. It was uncalled for."

"It's OK," Reia replied. "You had every right to be mad. I'm sorry for not being up front about my identity."

After that was over, we finally reached Violet City. It was definitely a quiet little town, but much larger than Cherrygrove City. Along the way, we had defeated a few other Trainers, and Luna ended up learning Quick Attack.

"So, where to first?" I asked. "I think we should take a little break first. Sound good?"

"Yeah, let's head over to the Pokémon Center," Reia agreed. "Lyra and I need a rest."

We got to the Pokémon Center to see two guys in black and grey outfits hassling Nurse Joy.

"You heard us! Hand over the Pokémon!" the skinnier one said.

"Yeah," the larger one said. "If ya don't, it'll mean big trouble for ya."

"Hey! Let her go!" I shouted, stepping up to them. The two guys turned around and snickered.

"Oh, yeah? And what's a little pipsqueak like you gonna do if we don't?" the bigger one threatened.

"I'm gonna send your sorry tail flying!" I shouted. "Now, leave!"

"Ha! I'd like to see you try and beat us!" the bigger one said. "Go, Poochyena!"

The bigger guy threw out a Poke Ball, revealing the small wolf cub.

"Luna, go get 'em!" I shouted, sending my Pokémon forward.

"Start off with Quick Attack!"

Luna disappeared and reappeared in front of Poochyena, smashing it back into the front desk.

"Now use Swift!"

Luna sent her star attack forward and decimated what was left of Poochyena.

"Huh? You!" the larger one said, obviously defeated. "You'll pay for this!"

The skinny one stepped forward and threw out his Pokémon, a Spearow.

"I'll take this one," Reia said, stepping forward. "Go on, Lyra!"

Reia's Vulpix jumped forward and let some sparks loose from her fur.

"Use Confuse Ray!"

Lyra shot forth the eerie ray of light that almost got me last time and confused the opposing Spearow.

"C'mon, Spearow! Use Fury Attack!"

The Spearow flew completely away from Lyra and slammed into a wall.

"Finish it with Ember!"

Lyra shot her sparks forward and engulfed the Spearow, knocking it out while also scorching the wall slightly.

"Spearow! Grr…"

The two thugs returned their fainted Pokémon to their Poke Balls and ran out of the Pokémon Center without another word.

"Wow, that was amazing, you two!" Nurse Joy exclaimed. "You two might be who the elder is looking for!"

"Thanks!" Reia said. "Oh, uh…sorry about the wall."

"Oh, it's nothing. You two should take the Sprout Tower challenge! If you manage to defeat the elder, he'll give you a Technical Machine!"

"A TM, huh?" I said. TMs were pretty rare as it was, and only a few PokeMarts sold them, mostly the department stores. They used to be only one use per disk, but now, because of the advancement on technology, TMs can be used as many times as needed.

"OK. That's where we're going next," I confirmed. "But first, can you patch up our Pokémon, please?"

"Sure thing! I'll have them battle-ready in no time!" We handed Nurse Joy our Poke Balls and sat back to wait.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

"Hmm…"

Latias nestled down in her bed, trying to get some sleep, but somehow the Sandman wouldn't visit her tonight. Her virtual environment just seemed too empty without anyone to talk to.

"Gah…what if Roku's actually out there looking for me?" she said to herself. "He might not have an idea of where I am…"

Latias decided that night to go out and find Roku herself. She opened her door and floated out, transforming into her human form to prevent anyone from seeing her as she was.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Latias jumped and whirled around, seeing the Kimono Girl who rescued her earlier.

"Oh, it's just you," she sighed. "I'm going out for a little walk, catch some fresh air."

"OK. Just be careful," the girl warned her. Latias nodded, and the Kimono Girl let her pass. Once Latias was out of sight, she got onto her P*DA and made a call.

"Lance, you there? It's Sayo."

"What's up?" he answered.

"I need you to tail Latias and find out where she's going," Sayo said. "You are at the base, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm on it."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V**

**Sprout Tower Entrance**

"So this is the Sprout Tower…"

Reia and I were standing in front of the tallest and most imposing building in Violet City. It was very tall, no doubt, at least 100 feet.

"The locals say that the pillar in the middle was actually a 100-foot-tall Bellsprout," Reia explained. "It's constantly swaying due to the numerous battles being held up there."

"Then let's join the party," I smirked, walking in.

I gotta admit, the inside looks much bigger than the outside. It was definitely ancient, looked of Chinese cultural design, and the pillar was swaying dangerously back and forth.

"Uh…are you sure this is safe?" Luna asked nervously.

"Don't worry, Luna," I reassured her. "If it was dangerous, no one would be here."

We walked up to a monk who was near the ladder and asked him if it was OK to go up. He said yes, and that the other monks would be happy to take us on. With that confirmation in our heads, we traveled up the ladder and began to ascend the tower.

* * *

**Darius' P.O.V.**

**Sprout Tower Spire**

Darius shoved past the last monk that stood in his way to the elder. They were all weaklings, as far as he was concerned, and he hoped that the elder would prove to be a better challenge.

"Welcome, young Trainer," the elder greeted him as he stepped up.

"Cut the chat, old man," Darius snapped. "I'm not here to make small talk; I'm here for the TM."

"Very well," the elder said. "Let's get started."

The elder sent out his first Pokémon, a Bellsprout.

"Ha! No wonder you monks are so weak!" Darius scoffed. "You keep using those crummy Bellsprout! Get out there, Riolu!"

Darius lobbed out his Poke Ball, sending out his partner.

"Bellsprout, use Vine Whip!"

"Riolu, use Counter!"

Bellsprout sent out its vines, ready to strike Riolu, but Riolu slapped them aside and nailed Bellsprout with a vicious punch, sending it flying back and knocking it out.

The elder returned his Bellsprout and sent out his next Pokémon, a Hoothoot.

"Go, Riolu! Use Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed forward and struck Hoothoot, not dealing much damage, but Hoothoot began to shiver violently, showing that it was paralyzed.

"Finish it off! Use Quick Attack!"

Riolu launched himself at the Hoothoot, striking it hard and fast and knocking it out.

"OK…you win," the elder said, returning Hoothoot to its Poke Ball. "But you should treat your Pokémon better. They are not to be used for war."

"Shut your trap and give me the TM!" Darius snapped. The elder sighed and handed Darius the promised TM, which contained the move Flash.

"Humph…this was what I wasted my time for? Pathetic!"

"You!"

Darius whirled around to see the same guy that had defeated him in Cherrygrove, as well as some chick he'd never seen before.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Sprout Tower Spire**

"You!"

I had climbed the ladder to the final room after a series of tough battles, and I see none other than Darius Walker, the jerkwad who stole Professor Elm's Riolu.

"Humph…what a surprise," Darius scoffed. "You decided to become less weak. That's great."

"I wouldn't say that to the guy who kicked your butt last time we met," I shot back.

"Whatever. Go ahead and fight your last pathetic battle," he said. "I've got better things to do with my time than sit here talking to weaklings."

Darius shoved past me and climbed down the ladder.

"Humph…douchebag," I growled.

"Don't let him get to you," Luna said. "We've got a TM to win!"

"Right, let's go!"

I stepped up to the elder, who had just healed his Pokémon, and said, "I'm ready to get started."

"Very well. Let me test the bonds between you and your Pokémon!"

"Hold on!" Reia shouted, stepping up beside me. "Let's make this a Double Battle! If that's OK with you, that is…"

The elder nodded and motioned for his best monk to join him in battle.

"OK! Go get 'em, Luna!"

"Go, Lyra!"

The two Pokémon jumped forward and prepared for battle as the elder and his monk sent out their Pokémon, two Bellsprouts.

"Let's get this party started!" Luna shouted.

* * *

Author's Note: That was actually a shorter chapter than I intended to write, but I was suffering from writer's block the entire time I was writing this. My next update might not be all that soon, so just bear with me.

That's it for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	6. Take Flight

Chapter 6: Take Flight

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Sprout Tower Spire**

"Go, Luna! Use Quick Attack!"

My Pokémon dashed forward at immeasurable speed and struck the elder's Bellsprout, knocking it back.

"Lyra! Finish it with Ember!"

Reia's Vulpix sent out her fiery attack, knocking the opponent out.

_Ok, there's one down, _I thought to myself. _Just a few more to go._

The elder sent out his next Pokémon, a Hoothoot. Reia decided to focus on the other Bellsprout while I dealt with the elder's Hoothoot.

"Luna! Nail it with Swift!"

Luna obliged, sending out multiple star rays to hit Hoothoot without fail. The attack was powerful, but it wasn't enough to knock it out.

"Now, Hoothoot! Use Hypnosis!"

The Hoothoot's eyes flared up with a mysterious aura. I knew right then and there what he was going for.

"Luna! Don't lock eyes with it! Look away from it!"

It was too late, however. Luna was still looking at the Hoothoot as it was using Hypnosis, and she crumpled to the ground, snoring softly.

"Aww, now's not the time to be taking a nap!" I groaned. "C'mon, Luna! Get up!"

Luna kicked her leg slightly, showing that she was dreaming and that she was pretty much dead to the outside world. I saw the sage's Bellsprout get knocked out, courtesy of Lyra's Ember, and the sage threw out another Bellsprout.

"Hoothoot! Tackle it!"

I looked back at the Hoothoot as it flew forward and knocked Luna back a few feet. The force of the blow should've been large enough to wake anyone up, but she was still snoozing away happily.

"Dammit…Come back, Luna!" I scoffed, returning the sleeping Eevee to her Poke Ball. "Go, Pidgey!"

I sent out my tiny bird Pokémon, knowing that until Luna woke up from her involuntary nap, he was my last defense.

"Let's do this, Master!" the Pidgey chirped eagerly. "I'm ready to win!"

_Oh, yeah, _I thought. _This is his first time out of his Poke Ball. He doesn't even know my name yet._

"OK, first of all, the name's Roku," I clarified. "Second, I don't want you to think of me as your master. Think of me as a partner."

"OK! No problem, Roku!" Pidgey chirped. "Now let's win us a battle!"

I smiled. I couldn't help but love that little bird's optimism.

"Hoothoot, use Hypnosis!"

My mind snapped back to the battle. The Hoothoot was about to put another one of my Pokémon to sleep.

_To Hell with that!_ I thought. "Pidgey, use Sand Attack!"

Pidgey threw some of the dist off of the floor at the Hoothoot's eyes, completely shutting down the attack.

"What the…" the elder gasped, flabbergasted.

"Now's our chance! Use Tackle!"

Pidgey launched himself forward and slammed into the Hoothoot, dealing enough damage to knock it out.

"No! Hoothoot!"

I looked at Reia to see her finish the sage's second Bellsprout off viciously with what also looked like Quick Attack. We had won.

"All right! We did it!" I cheered, Reia sharing in the victory by whooping excitedly. The elder walked up to us and handed us the TM that we'd fought so hard for.

"Well done, young Trainers," the elder spoke. "You seem to have very deep bonds with your Pokémon. Take this TM. You've earned it."

We thanked the elder and he handed each of us a TM for the move Flash. I was slightly disappointed, for Flash was only good for use as a flashlight, but I showed my appreciation and walked out of the tower.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Route 37**

Latias floated out onto Route 37, the desire for finding her friend burning bright in her heart. She could only imagine the shock on Roku's face once he met her again.

"OK, whoever's tailing me, you really aren't doing a good job of being quiet," she said loudly.

Latias heard a short rustling in the trees, and she turned around and readied her Mist Ball. Soon, a familiar face dropped down from the trees.

"Lance," she said in a dull voice. "Let me guess: Zuki put you up to looking out for me, didn't she?"

"Well, it was actually Sayo, but, yeah," he replied. "Look, I know you refused my offer, but look at this as a bonding experience for the both of us."

Latias sighed angrily. Lance wanted her to be his partner, and he wouldn't stop bugging her about it, no matter how many times she refused.

"Listen, I already told you," Latias repeated. "I don't want to be your partner. I already have someone in mind. Now back off before I give you a reason to fight me!"

Lance narrowed his gaze.

"Get down," he said.

"What…? No," she refused.

"I said GET DOWN!" he shouted, pulling Latias behind him and sending out his trusted partner, Dragonite.

Now, the story behind the whole "two partners" thing is that every Legend Keeper had a Pokémon partner and a Legendary Pokémon partner, which was usually one of the lesser powerful Legendary Pokémon, such as Raikou, Tornadus, and of course, Latios or Latias.

Now, back to the story at hand…Dragonite let loose with a Dragon Pulse, lighting up the very terrifying figure of a Hydreigon.

"Jay," Lance growled. "You've got a lot of nerve to be hanging around here."

"Well, well, if it isn't Dragon Boy," Jay laughed. "Finally decide to come out of your cave, I see. I've come to retrieve a certain specimen that's in your possession."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lance said. "You must've heard a rumor or two."

"Oh, no, I'm not mistaken, Lance, old boy," Jay mocked. Then his expression changed. "Hand over Latias."

"You'll have to battle me for her," Lance challenged. "Unless you're too chicken, that is…"

"Hahaha! You're challenging ME?!" Jay laughed evilly. "Revenge is gonna be sooooo sweet! Get 'em, Hydreigon!"

The Hydreigon roared viciously, for it was so underdeveloped that it didn't even have a voice. Dragonite touched down onto the ground and went into a battle stance.

"Dragonite! Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite let loose with a massive pink and purple beam of energy. Hydreigon couldn't get out of the way fast enough and was blasted so harshly that he was smoking afterwards.

"C'mon, Hydreigon! Use Dark Pulse!" Jay ordered.

Hydreigon roared and sent a black energy beam careening towards Dragonite. He was hit dead-on and sent flying back.

Still being unable to move, Lance gave Dragonite a Hyper Potion to make up for the damage dealt to him.

"Thank you, Lance," Dragonite huffed. "This should help."

"Enough! Hydreigon, hit him with Dragon Rush!"

Dragonite turned to see Hydreigon flying at him at a high speed. Dragonite dodged to the side just in the nick of time to avoid damage.

"Now, Dragonite! Use Outrage!" Lance shouted.

Dragonite flared up with a mighty power and flew at Hydreigon, smashing him over and over until Hydreigon was down for the count.

"What?! Hydreigon!" Jay screeched.

Dragonite flew back to Lance, feeling joyous.

"We won! Well done, partner!" Lance commended him.

"All in a day's work!" Dragonite said confidently.

"Why?! Why does he keep WINNING?!" Jay shouted angrily. He returned the fainted Dragon-type Pokémon to his Poke Ball and left with these parting words: "Team Prime will harness the power of darkness to destroy you Legend Keepers! Just you wait!"

Once Jay was out of sight, Latias rang in with her opinion.

"'The power of darkness?'" she recited. "What is he talking about?"

"I don't know," Lance said grimly. "But I don't like the sound of it."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Violet City Gym**

Reia and I had taken a night's rest at the Pokémon Center, and were now standing in front of the Violet City Gym.

"Whoof…I've never challenged a Gym before…" I've gotta be honest, the tension's really getting to me."

"Yeah, I felt the same way with my first Gym challenge," Reia said in an attempt to lighten the load. "Of course, I was up against Bug-types, so that was no trouble, but still."

I nodded. I needed to focus. I looked over at Luna, who gave me an encouraging smile, and I walked into the Gym.

"Welcome to the Violet City Gym!" a slightly obese man said as we walked in. "Are you going to be challenging the Gym today?"

"Uh, yeah," I said. "I'm Roku, and this is Reia. Both of us will be challenging the Gym."

"OK! In that case, I'll tell Falkner that he will be choosing one of his apprentices to fight alongside him." The man pulled out his P*DA and said, "Falkner, we have two challengers who wish to take you on together. Choose a partner and report to the stadium."

"OK. I'm on my way," he replied.

Reia and I looked around. We didn't see any sign of anyone in the stadium. But then, the skylight opened up, and two Trainers on bird Pokémon came swooping down onto the field. One was on a Pidgeotto, and he had blue hair and slightly lighter blue robes. The other one was on a Noctowl, and was just a Bird Catcher.

"I am Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader," the blue-haired guy introduced. "Are you my challengers?"

"Yes, we are!" I said eagerly. "My name is Roku, and this is my friend Reia."

"Wonderful," he smiled. "Let's get straight to it."

The four of us walked onto the field, the two of us taking opposite sides.

"This is a Violet City Double Battle challenge!" the fat guy boomed. "Each Trainer uses only a single Pokémon! The team that knocks out the opposing team first wins the battle!"

"They say that you can clip a bird's wings with a jolt of electricity," Falkner spoke. "I won't allow such insults to bird Pokémon!"

"We'll show you the true power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!" the Bird Catcher shouted.

"Humph! We'll just see about that!" I challenged. "Go, Luna!"

"Go, Lyra!" Reia shouted.

Our Pokémon jumped out onto the field, eager to win.

"Pidgeotto! Take flight!" Falkner shouted.

"Noctowl! Battle stance!" the Bird Catcher shouted.

I winced slightly. Those Pokémon pretty much dwarfed ours in size. But if Luna and Lyra were that easily scared, we wouldn't have come this far in the first place. We weren't backing down now.

"Battle Begin!" the man called out.

"Pidgeotto! Use Sand Attack!" Falkner shouted.

Pidgeotto launched a cloud of sand into Luna's eyes. She took it full-on in the face, but we weren't afraid. I smirked as I gave Luna the order to use Swift. She sent out her star rays and nailed Pidgeotto right in the beak and sent it reeling back.

"Lyra! Use Quick Attack!" shouted Reia, sensing an opening.

Lyra dashed forward and knocked Pidgeotto back even farther, dealing some considerable damage. Pidgeotto righted himself, although he was slightly reeling from those two hard hits.

"Noctowl! Use Foresight!" the Bird Catcher ordered.

I looked at Noctowl, who's eyes just gleamed. Right then, I knew that Noctowl had locked on to Lyra's movements. She wasn't going to be dodging any shot from Noctowl for a while.

"Reia!" I shouted. "Focus on Pidgeotto! I've got Noctowl!" Then I sent two fingers forward and winked.

We had went through a few strategies before we challenged the Gym. One of them was the "Double Strike" tactic in which we launch two Quick Attacks at the same time. The plan was to make sure that Noctowl was focused on any shots that Lyra would attack it with, then switch targets when we were close enough.

"Now! Quick Attack!" we shouted in unison.

Luna directed her attack at Pidgeotto, who had regained his ground, and Lyra had directed her attack at Noctowl, as was planned. Noctowl got low, preparing to dodge Lyra's strike.

Right once Noctowl jumped to the left…

"Switch targets! Go!"

Luna and Lyra jumped into each other's paths and continued. Luna struck Noctowl head-on, knowing that he was going to dodge at the last possible moment, and Lyra went on to hit Pidgeotto and knock it out.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" the fat guy yelled.

I smiled and looked at Reia, now wiggling my fingers and sending them forward.

That was the cue to use our most powerful strategy, called "Silver Fire". Using Sand Attack, Luna would coat herself in enough dust to cover her entire body in a thick layer of dirt. Then, Lyra would use Ember to ignite that dust, followed up with Luna using Quick Attack to make a makeshift Flame Charge. This method was risky, but would be very effective if it worked.

"Luna! Execute 'Silver Fire!' GO!"

Luna nodded and began covering herself with dirt until there was a thick coat of it all over her body.

"Light it up!" Luna shouted, confirming that she was ready. Lyra nodded and shot sparks at the layer of dust. In a furious flash, the dust flared and ignited into a furious blaze.

"Now! Quick Attack!"

Luna dashed forward at immeasurable speed, looking like a shooting star blazing across the battlefield. I should've christened this attack "Comet Dash", because Luna looked a lot like a meteorite entering the Earth's atmosphere. I saw the look of shock and horror on both Trainer and Pokémon as Luna slammed into Noctowl and sent it flying back so hard and fast that it smashed into the wall of the Gym and left a massive imprint.

"What the…?" Falkner said, starstruck.

"YES! We did it!" I shouted with joy. "Well done, everybody!"

"No…my dad's cherished bird Pokemon…" Falkner said silently.

"And that's it! Noctowl is unable to battle!" the large guy said. "Luna and Lyra are the winners! The victory goes to Roku and Reia!"

"Hahaha! Yeah!" We shouted, hugging each other excitedly. I couldn't even begin to express my feelings right then and there, all I could think about was the way we won our first Gym battle.

Reia and I noticed that we were hugging each other, and we let go, looking off to the side and blushing slightly.

"I gotta admit…I haven't seen anyone beat me like that," Falkner said as he walked up to us. "Pokémon League rules state that I must confer this Badge to you."

Falkner handed the both of us a Badge that looked like a pair of wings.

"That's the official Pokémon League Zephyr Badge," Falkner explained. "If I'm not mistaken, this is your first Gym Badge, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's correct," I confirmed.

"Then you should head for Azalea Town next," he suggested. "Oh, and I want you to take this as well."

Falkner produced two disks from his robes and handed one to each of us.

"That TM contains the move Roost," Falkner explained. "It lets the user rest its wings to regain health. Use it wisely."

"Thank you, Falkner," Reia said.

Showing our appreciation once again, me, Reia, and our partners headed out of the Gym and to the Pokémon Center to get some rest.

Right once we exited the Gym, I got a call on my P*DA. It was from Professor Elm.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Roku! It's Professor Elm!" he said. "I have something for you!"

"Really?" I said excitedly.

"The thing is…we want you to carry the Egg that Mr. Pokémon gave you!" he explained. "We found out that this Egg will only hatch if it is carried with Pokémon. And I thought to myself 'There's no better person to carry this Egg than Roku!"

"OK, got it. Where are you?"

"Actually, I've sent one of my assistants to Violet City to deliver it to you. You should go pick it up!"

"OK," I said. "I'll be there in a bit."

I hung up and motioned for Reia to follow.

_Looks like we'll be getting a new addition to the team, _I thought to myself.

* * *

Author's Note: First Gym conquered. I figured I'd make this interesting by adding what most Trainers are probably dreaming of: combining moves. The whole time I was writing the "Silver Fire" bit, the song "Light 'Em Up" was playing in my head. Just goes to show you how music can affect what you write. (Heh, I wrote this while listening to "Pain" by Three Days' Grace. Maybe next chapter I'll put in something emo. Mwahahaha.)

Anyway, this chapter was pretty easy to write. The battle between Lance and Jay was kinda tough, but it came out pretty nicely, at least, in my opinion. I'm trying my best to make this story different while keeping a little of the original storyline in there. Pretty tough, if you ask me.

Oh, and now I can update faster! You see, I have a machine at home, but the thing is so old that it can't read the data from the school's Microsoft Word. So I pretty much just plan to start the chapters at home and run it in Compatibility mode, since my home PC still runs Windows XP. So expect to see faster updates.

That's it for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	7. Dungeon Researchers

Chapter 7: Dungeon Researchers

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Violet City PokeMart**

I stepped into the PokeMart to see one of the nerdiest people I've ever seen. I could already tell that he worked for Professor Elm.

"Ah, there you are, Roku!" he said, immediately recognizing me. "Are you prepared to take care of this Egg?"

"Yeah," I said, not quite sure how to answer.

"OK, I'll leave you to it." The aide handed me the Egg. Right once I grabbed it, it started to glow slightly.

"Professor Elm said that it would hatch only if carried by an active Trainer," the aide explained. "So then, he suggested that I come to Violet City in hopes of finding you here. And that's how I came to be here."

"Uh…OK," I said, not sure why he would explain his situation.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be getting back to the Lab," the aide said. "Take good care of that Egg, OK?"

The aide slid past me and exited the PokeMart. I took this opportunity to load up on any supplies we might need, as well as some food so we didn't get hungry on our long trip to Azalea Town.

"What? Not a fan of vegan food?" Reia joked.

"No, just not a fan of eating it for the rest of my life," I responded.

We exited the PokeMart and headed out to the gate, only to be stopped by a lady dressed in a very flashy kimono.

"Excuse me, but where did you get that Egg?" she asked politely.

I explained the story to her. She nodded in understanding and said, "So, it was handed on to Mr. Pokémon, then down to Professor Elm, then to you."

"Yeah, that's the gist of it," I confirmed.

The Kimono Girl nodded again, then looked at Reia. Her eyes lit up. "Reia!"

"Hi, Zuki, how goes it?" Reia said, smiling.

"Good! We recently got another one. This one we will make sure stays out of Team Prime's hands!"

"Wait…You're a Legend Keeper?" I asked. "And who is this Team Prime?"

"Oh, uh…Who are these 'Legend Keepers' you speak of?" Zuki said nervously, trying to cover up her last statement.

"It's OK, Zuki," Reia reassured her. "He already knows. He can be trusted."

"Oh, well, in that case…" Zuki said. "Team Prime is the very group that we save the Legendary Pokémon from. They aim to use their power to take over the world."

"So, which one have we liberated this time?" Reia asked.

"Her name is Latias," Zuki explained. "She originates from the Hoenn region. We found her hiding out in the Burned Tower."

"Wait…did you say Latias?!" I said, my heart skipping a beat.

"Yes, why?" Zuki asked, confused.

"Well, I never told Reia about this, but Latias and I are very good friends," I explained, the memories flooding back into my mind. "She crash-landed in New Bark Town one night two years ago. Professor Elm and I nursed her back to full health, and we've been friends ever since. But one night, she just left all of a sudden. As a matter of fact, that's the reason I left New Bark Town. I had to find her."

"So THAT'S who your friend was!" Reia exclaimed. "I honestly wasn't expecting that."

"That's very sweet," Zuki said. "I will tell you that Latias constantly thinks about you."

Just then, a call rang in on Zuki's P*DA. She answered it with a polite "Hello?"

"Zuki, it's Lance!" said a frantic voice. "We've been attacked! It was Jay! He was after Latias!"

"What?!" she exclaimed. "Is she OK?"

"Yes, she's a little shaken up, but she's not injured," Lance replied. "She keeps muttering something like 'where's Roku' or something like that. Does this mean anything to you?"

"She needs me," I said.

"It has no meaning to me," Zuki lied flawlessly. "But I'll look into it. In the meantime, make sure she doesn't leave. I'll be there as soon as possible."

Zuki hung up and said, "Come. You must follow us to Ecruteak City if you wish to see Latias again."

I nodded and followed Zuki to Route 36, where she said, "There's a shortcut here! It's the fastest way to Ecruteak from here!"

We made our way to the shortcut, which was blocked off by an odd-looking tree.

"What the…?" I said, curious about the tree.

"I've got this," Zuki said. "Go, Umbreon!"

Zuki threw out her Poke Ball, revealing a slender black fox-like Pokémon.

_So that's_ _an__ Umbreon…_I thought to myself as I pulled out my P*DA and accessed the Pokedex.

"Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokémon and one of the eight evolutions of Eevee," the Pokedex rattled off. "When exposed to the moon's aura, the rings on its body glow faintly, and it's filled with a mysterious power."

"Umbreon, use Cut!" Zuki ordered.

"Time to slice and dice!" Umbreon said aggressively, sending an extended claw flying at the tree. However, the claw merely bounced off of the tree and didn't leave a single scratch on it. Although, it did wiggle slightly.

"What?! But how?!" Umbreon shouted in disbelief.

"Well, this is troubling," Zuki said. "Looks like we'll have to go the long way around."

"What?!" I shouted. "But I can't! Latias needs me!"

"I understand your concern, but we obviously can't do anything with this 'tree' in our path!" Zuki shot back. "We'll have to go around."

I sighed. I knew that getting angry wasn't going to get me there faster. I calmed myself down and said, "Fine. How long will this take?"

"If we're lucky, about a week," Zuki said. "I'd ask any other Legend Keepers out there if they could give us a lift, but as far as I know, they're all out on assignments."

"OK, then we might as well get moving," I said, heading south. I was eventually stopped by another obstacle. A scientist ran out of a gate and collided with me and Luna, knocking us to the ground.

"Oh! I'm sorry, are you OK?" he said frantically, helping me up.

"Yeah, no harm done," I said, brushing myself off.

"Hey! What's the big idea, running into us like that?!" Luna barked.

"Waah! I'm sorry!" the scientist said.

"Hey, Luna!" I snapped. "He doesn't know what you're saying."

"Oh, right…" Luna said, backing down.

"Sorry," I apologized. "Luna's a bit on the sassy side, if you catch my drift."

"No problem," the scientist said. He held out a hand. "My name is Carter. I'm a dungeon researcher."

"I'm Roku Kimura," I said, shaking his hand. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer."

"Wait, you're a Pokémon Trainer?!" he said excitedly. "You're just the kind of person I was looking for! I need your help!"

"No problem. What's up?" I said calmly.

"My assistant has been trapped in one of the chambers we've been researching and can't find her way out!" Carter explained. "I was going to ask the Violet City Gym Leader for help until you came along."

"Well, I defeated the Violet City Gym Leader, for your information," I bragged, flashing my shiny new Zephyr Badge. "So, how's about you direct us to the chamber?"

Carter nodded and motioned us to follow him.

"You're a really good actor, you know that?" Luna said.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, confused.

"You acted like such a big shot back there. It was actually kind of pathetic."

"What's so pathetic about being confident about my skill?" I asked. "I defeated a Gym Leader on my first try."

"You mean, WE defeated the Gym Leader on our first try?" Reia chimed in.

"You know what I mean," I said, smiling.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ, Johto Division**

"Roku…Wh-Where's Roku…?"

Lance sat beside Latias as she continuously muttered that phrase. It was driving him up the wall, but he knew that the events that had unfolded that night slightly traumatized her. He eventually stood up and walked out of Latias' room to go contact the physician.

Once Lance left, Latias stood up and fully camouflaged herself so that she was completely invisible.

_They stopped me this time, but they won't get me today._

Latias opened her door slowly and slipped past the guards that were guarding her room. She laughed silently when she saw that they were asleep.

_Now THAT'S pathetic, _she thought to herself.

She noticed that the elevator leading out to the Dance Theater was open and waiting. Two of the five Kimono girls were stepping in. She got through just as the doors were closing.

_Phew…that was close,_ she thought. _I'm almost there._

"So, where are you going, Latias?"

Those words sent a chill through Latias' spine.

"You forget that we can read minds," one of the Kimono Girls said. She got on her P*DA and rang into the boss.

"Cedric, it's Naoko. We caught Latias trying to escape. Give us your order."

"Send her back to her room. We can't risk Team Prime getting their hands on her."

"Please, Naoko," Latias begged. "I can't take being trapped in this place. I have to find Roku."

"As much as I would love to help you, my orders are above all else," Naoko said. "Unless you were to, oh, I don't know, viciously attack us and escape…"

Latias looked at Naoko. "Really…"

"Go ahead. We'll make sure they don't find you."

Latias nodded. "Thank you, and sorry for this."

Latias turned invisible and struck Naoko and the other Kimono Girl with a vicious claw. The elevator opened to the Ecruteak Dance Theater, and Latias quickly made her escape to the outside world.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ruins of Alph**

Carter had directed us to the chamber that his assistant was trapped in. The door was tightly shut, and Carter explained that she couldn't open the door without solving some sort of puzzle first.

"Is there any way we can get into the chamber?" I asked.

"There is, but it'll be tough," he warned us. "Follow me."

Carter led us to another small building that housed a small wall with an odd pattern inscribed on it.

"We've been trying to solve this puzzle for a long time," Carter explained. "Think you can solve it?"

"I don't know what help I can be, but I'll give it a try." I stepped up to the panel.

It was actually quite easy. It was just a picture of a Kabuto set up on moving panels. Once I finished moving all of the panels into their correct positions, the picture glowed brightly.

Then I realized that the floor had opened up beneath me, and we were standing on nothing.

"Ah, crap," I said before falling through the hole.

* * *

**Jay's P.O.V.**

**Team Prime HQ**

"Hmm…you've failed me yet again, Jay…"

"Heh, uh," Jay said nervously. "You heard about that, huh?"

The boss whirled around and gave him an ice cold stare.

"Cut the crap! I will not tolerate your insolence!" he shouted. "You failed! What else is there to say?!"

"That wasn't my fault!" Jay shot back. "You know how strong Lance is! I didn't stand a chance!"

The boss laughed. He knew that Jay was starting to get desperate for another chance.

"You remember what I said would happen if any of you failed again?" the boss said coldly.

"No! Please, boss, I'm begging here!" Jay said desperately, hitting his knees.

"Hmm…Fine."

Jay looked up. "Say what?"

"I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself, Jay," the boss said. "But to do so, you'll need more strength." The boss pulled out a box with three Poke Balls in it. "Contained in these Balls are three of the most powerful Legendary Pokémon in the world. Choose one."

Jay stood up and walked over to the boss' desk, looking at the three Poke Balls. He could feel a massive power emanating from all three of them. After some serious consideration, he picked the one on the left.

"Ah, Giratina, the Renegade Pokémon," the boss said, smiling cruelly. "A suitable choice."

Jay bowed and said, "Thanks, boss! You won't regret this!" Then he ran out of the boss' office before he could do anything else.

"You just LET him have a powerful Pokémon like that?!" said Darkrai as he exited the shadows.

"You worry too much, Darkrai," the boss said. "Jay knows nothing of Giratina's true power. He's too stupid to find out, anyway."

"You'd better hope you're right about that," Darkrai warned, retreating into the shadows.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ruins of Alph**

"Is everyone all right?" Carter shouted.

"OW! Not so loud!" I shouted back. "This place has an echo!"

We had landed in some sort of chamber after solving that puzzle and falling through the floor. It was pitch-black in that chamber.

"Does anyone have a Pokémon who has Flash?" Carter asked.

I slapped myself in the forehead. I knew I should've caught a Bellsprout.

"Maybe I can help," I heard Zuki say. "Does anyone have a Flash TM on them at the moment?"

I felt around in my Bag until I found my TMs. I handed them to Zuki, saying one of those was Flash. She sent out her Umbreon and fired up one of the TMs, facing it at Umbreon. Soon, Umbreon's fur lit up brightly, blinding all of us who were unaware.

"OK! It works!" I said, rubbing my sore eyes and taking my TMs back from Zuki.

"Right, now let's get a move on," Carter said.

"Carter? Is that you?!" shouted a voice from farther in.

"Aria! Are you hurt in any way?" Carter shouted back.

"I'm fine! But I still can't find a way out!" she answered.

"Sit tight!" Carter said. "I brought help! We're on our way!"

We navigated to the place Aria was sitting. Upon seeing Carter, she jumped up and hugged him.

"Carter! I was so scared!" she cried.

"Wait a minute…" Reia said. "I've seen her face before…"

Aria looked up from Carter's shoulder and instantly froze. "Legend Keepers?!"

Carter whirled around and looked at us. "Roku, is that true?"

"I knew it!" Reia shouted. "They're from Team Prime! What are you creeps doing here?!"

"We were investigating the Ruins of Alph to see if they held any connection to the Legendary Pokémon of Johto," Aria explained. "Then I got myself trapped in this chamber and couldn't get out! I sent Carter to find help, but I didn't expect him to run into Legend Keepers! So now I'm gonna have to make sure you don't leave here alive!"

"Roku, stand back!" Zuki said. "I'll take care of Aria."

"Fine, then I've got Carter!" I shouted.

Aria and Carter pulled out their Poke Balls.

"Go, Salamence!" Aria shouted, releasing the massive blue Dragon-type Pokémon.

"Go, Umbreon!" Zuki shouted, sending her Pokémon into battle.

"I didn't want to have to do this, Roku," Carter said. "But I've got no choice. Go, Fennekin!"

"Go, Luna!" I shouted, sending my Pokémon in.

Fennekin flared its nostrils and directed its attention at me.

"C'mon! Let's battle!" he said. "I've been itching to fight someone the entire time he's had me!"

"Wait, so you've never battled before?" I said.

The Fennekin faltered slightly. "Well, no, not exactly…"

I faltered slightly as well. I was about to destroy an innocent Pokémon. Despite being the Pokémon of a Team Prime Trainer, Fennekin did nothing wrong.

"Hey, Fennekin!" Luna said. "Do you like being with that Trainer?"

"Are you freaking KIDDING me?!" Fennekin snapped. "I hate him! But I've got no choice but to battle with him! He has my Poke Ball…"

Now I really felt sorry for him. I felt like I had to save him from Carter.

"Enough chatting!" Carter snapped. "Fennekin, use Ember!"

"You don't have to do this, Fennekin," Luna said softly. "If you truly don't want to be with him, then release your bond with him and join us."

Fennekin stood there, unsure of what to do. Then, he stiffened his expression and walked up to Luna.

"You…want me to join you?" Fennekin asked.

"We really could use your help," I said. "But it's all up to you."

Fennekin thought for a little bit, then nodded and faced Carter, fangs bared.

"What…? Fennekin, what are you doing?!" Carter shouted. "You're saying that you want to be with HIM?"

As though Fennekin was showing proof, the Poke Ball that contained his DNA exploded, covering Carter in a cloud of smoke. Acting quickly, I pulled out one of my Poke Balls and threw it at Fennekin, hitting him and pulling him into the virtual environment.

It wiggled once…twice…three times…

* * *

**Zuki's P.O.V.**

**Ruins of Alph**

"Umbreon, use Faint Attack!"

Umbreon disappeared, showing up behind Salamence and hitting him hard.

"Salamence, use Dragon Claw!"

Salamence's claws flared up, and he swung, only to hit thin air.

"Now, Umbreon, use Dark Pulse!"

Umbreon launched a powerful beam of dark energy at Salamence, engulfing him in a black aura. Salamence hit the ground, fainted.

"What…?" Aria said silently. She couldn't believe the events that had just unfolded.

Aria looked at Carter, who was black from all the smoke, and said, "Let's get out of here!"

She returned Salamence to his Poke Ball and ran off, unaware that they were still trapped.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ruins of Alph**

I laughed as the two Trainers stumbled around to try and find their way out. It was funny, but then I remembered that we were in the same predicament.

"Not for long, we're not," Zuki said as if she read my mind. She produced a second Poke Ball from her kimono and tossed it, shouting, "Go, Raikou!"

I was awe-struck as Raikou was released from the Poke Ball. I had only heard stories about Raikou and his counterparts from my childhood, but now he was standing right before me, looking as majestic and powerful as a thundercloud itself.

"Whoa…" I managed to say. I pulled out my P*DA and loaded the Pokedex to get his entry.

"Raikou, the Thunder Pokémon," the Pokedex said. "Raikou is said to have fallen with lightning. This Legendary Pokémon can fire thunderbolts from the rain clouds on its back."

"Raikou, I need you to open up a hole so we can get out of here," Zuki said calmly.

"As you wish, partner," Raikou said. The rain clouds on his back began to spark with electricity.

"Raikou, use Thunderbolt!" Zuki shouted.

Raikou released a massive stream of electricity, blasting a hole in the floor big enough to fit Arceus Himself through.

"Let's move," Raikou said, beckoning us to climb on his back. I was unsure that Raikou could even carry all of us, but we all managed to fit on his back, and Raikou full-on leapt out of the chamber and out into the Ruins of Alph.

* * *

Author's note: So there's Roku's second encounter with a Legendary Pokémon, and it would turn out to be one of his (and my) favorites. And now he has a brand new partner in the form of a Fennekin, a Pokémon that can't be found in the Johto region. This is shaping up to be pretty interesting, eh?

Anyway, the group will be tackling the Union Cave next (yay…), and I'm thinking about making the Egg hatch during that time. I'm gonna tell you right now, it's not going to be what you all think it's going to be. Or is it…?

I'll leave you to figure that out. But for now, this is Strato Abyss signing out.


	8. The Union Cave, Part One

Chapter 8: The Union Cave, Part One

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 32**

"Zuki, you never told me that you had a Raikou," I said. "What's the story?"

We were walking down Route 32, heading towards Azalea Town. We had heard about a massive cave that stood in the way (actually, Zuki informed me of this…), and decided that we had to move as quickly as possible. That's when I popped the question.

"He was actually my first rescue," Zuki started. "Team Prime was in the Burned Tower, aiming to capture the 3 Legendary Beast Pokémon: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. My sisters and I were at the scene, taking on the three admins: Gordon, Jay, and Aria, as well as their three Dragon-type Pokémon. We were dwarfed in power, and I feared for the worst…until Raikou called my name…"

* * *

**_Burned Tower_**

**_10 years ago_**

"_Hahaha!" Aria laughed cruelly. "You fought well, but you knew you could never defeat us!"_

_Zuki lay there, her and Umbreon completely wiped out. She knew that they were possibly going to fail here._

"_Zuki!"_

"_Wha…who's calling me?" she said to herself._

"_Zuki, over here! Face me!"_

_Zuki turned her head to see Raikou beckoning her to look at him._

"_R-Raikou…?"_

"_Throw your Poke Ball at me! We can defeat them together!" Raikou yelled._

_Zuki produced a Poke Ball from her kimono and lobbed it as hard as she could at Raikou's figure._

* * *

"After that, Raikou and I formed a partnership," Zuki said. "We've been working together to rid the world of Team Prime ever since."

"But what became of Entei and Suicune?" Reia asked.

"As far as I know, Entei is still at large," Zuki replied. "Suicune is probably also roaming around somewhere, trying to stay out of Team Prime's clutches."

"I see…" I said quietly. I started to think if some Legendary Pokémon could ever form a partnership with me.

Then I remembered: I hadn't even told Reia or Zuki that I wanted to join. Being a Legend Keeper sounded like a lot of fun, and I could help rid the world of evil.

Later that night, we had set up camp at the foot of Union Cave. Reia, Zuki, and their Pokémon were asleep, and Luna and I were looking up at the night sky.

"…Hey, Luna?" I asked.

"Mmm?"

"I was wondering if, when I ever decide to join the Legend Keepers, if you'd be by my side through the entire thing?"

Luna rolled over and looked at me. "You're actually thinking about joining, aren't you?"

"Well, it seems like the right thing to do," I said. "I could actually make a difference in the world. There's just too much evil going on in this world."

"Something tells me that's not the only reason," Luna replied. "It's still about Latias, isn't it?"

I sighed. Luna really did know me, and we've only been together for a few days or weeks at the most.

"I also want to protect Latias," I said. "I almost lost her once. I don't want to lose her again."

Luna smiled. I could tell that she heard what she wanted to hear.

"Roku, I will never understand your motives," she said. "But know this: whatever weird and possibly life-threatening thing you want to be a part of…I'm gonna be with you, no matter what happens."

I smiled and felt a small tear run down my cheek. It was nice to have a partner to depend on.

Suddenly, Luna's fur started glowing an odd purple color. I dug around in her fur to find the Lunar Charm glowing brightly.

Then, Luna started glowing brightly.

I stepped back, awe-struck as Luna changed shape right before my eyes. The glow was bright enough to wake Reia and Zuki from their slumbers, and they were standing right beside me as Luna's evolution took place.

"The Lunar Charm…" Zuki said. "It's reacting to your bonds! Luna is undergoing an evolution!"

Soon, the glowing stopped, and I was left looking at a pitch-black fox-like creature, with glowing blue rings on her forehead, fore and hindquarters, and on her tail, as well as piercing yellow eyes.

"L-Luna…you've evolved…" I gasped, still stunned.

"Yeah…guess I did, huh?" she said, looking herself over. "I feel…taller."

We laughed lightly. "Heh…taller, huh? I don't know, that's not all you should be feeling. Do you feel anything else?"

"My body actually feels tougher for some reason," Luna said. "It's like…I feel like I can take a few more hits than I used to be able to."

"Of course," Zuki chimed in. "Umbreon have impressively high defensive capabilities."

"I also feel really focused," Luna continued. "Like nothing could break me out of my concentration."

"That means Luna has acquired the Inner Focus ability," Reia said. "It allows her to keep concentration, even if attacks like Fake Out would make her flinch. That's pretty rare for an Umbreon."

We sat there all night, admiring Luna's new look and capabilities. Reia ended up challenging me to a battle, and I nearly fell over laughing at Lyra's attempts to inflict any real damage towards Luna. Fennekin wanted to join into the fray, and so he and Lyra had a few training sessions together.

All in all, it was a long and fun night.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Route 37**

Latias made sure to keep her camouflage on to make sure no one saw her, especially none of those Team Prime nutjobs.

Floating along the forest, Latias realized something: Roku wouldn't know where to find her, yet she didn't even know where to look for Roku.

"Crap…I wish I'd thought of this before I set out on this expedition," she said to herself.

Just then, a light bulb popped up in her head. She knew exactly where to start looking. She lifted herself into the sky and took off, flying to the last place she saw him.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Union Cave Entrance**

I opened my eyes to a bright afternoon sun. I sat up and looked around to see the group passed out.

"Crap…How long were we up last night?" I asked myself as I got up. I looked at my P*DA and froze.

"Guys, get up! We gotta get a move on!" I shouted, returning Fennekin to his Poke Ball and gathering my things. Reia and Zuki got up slowly, yawning and stretching.

"What's the hurry?" Reia yawned.

"If we're gonna get through Union Cave by nightfall, then we've gotta move, like, NOW!" I shouted.

After a few minutes of waking everyone up, we headed for the entrance to Union Cave. Right then, we were stopped by a guy looking to pick a fight.

"Hey, you! If you're a Trainer, then how about you battle me?" he said aggressively.

"You should be a little more polite about it," Reia said in defense. "Just because you're being a bully doesn't mean he'll fight you!"

"Yeah? And what's his whiny girlfriend gonna do if I kick his butt?"

Reia looked at me and said, "Kick his ass."

"My pleasure," I replied, stepping forward. "Go, Fennekin!"

I threw out my Poke Ball, releasing my Fire-type from his virtual area.

"Get 'em, Pidgey!" the kid shouted, sending out the small bird Pokémon.

I almost laughed. Fennekin had gone through some rigorous training the night of Luna's evolution, and had ended up learning Howl and Flame Charge as a result.

"OK, Fennekin! Use Howl!"

Fennekin howled loudly to pump itself up, raising his offensive capabilities.

"Ha! Weak!" the kid shouted. "Pidgey, use Gust!"

The tiny bird flapped its wings and sent a gust of wind flying at Fennekin, pushing him back slightly.

"Now, Fennekin, use Flame Charge!"

"Time to roast this flying chicken!" Fennekin shouted, covering himself in a cloud of dust. Then, he exploded out of it, covered in fire, and blasted towards Pidgey, sending it flying into a nearby tree and knocking it out.

"What?! How is that even possible?!" the kid shouted in disbelief. "I've been training under Falkner! I can't lose!"

I flashed my Zephyr Badge and said, "I beat Falkner, so I don't even want to hear it. Perhaps you should learn to pick your fights a little better."

The kid opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then he shut it, returned his Pokémon, and ran off without another word.

"Heh, just like the rest," Fennekin said. "They talk big, but once they lose, they run like rats."

I laughed and returned Fennekin to his Poke Ball. With the battle over with, we made our way into the cave.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**New Bark Town**

Latias touched down silently in the center of New Bark Town, then located the Pokémon Lab. If anyone knew where Roku went, it'd be Professor Elm.

_I really hope that the Professor Elm knows where he is, _she thought to herself.

Latias took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She was scared to think how the professor would react to seeing her again. She took a deep breath and opened the door to the lab.

"Hello?" she said, then stopped. She realized that Professor Elm didn't speak Pokémon. She assumed her human form and walked up to Professor Elm, who was typing rapidly on his laptop.

Taking another deep breath, she tapped her fingers twice on his shoulder.

"WAAH!" he screamed, jumping up and turning sharply. Latias screamed after him, jumping back and holding her chest, breathing heavily.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! You could give a guy a heart attack!" he scolded. Then he froze. "Wait…Latias, is that you?"

Latias almost said yes, but she remembered that Professor Elm wouldn't be able to understand her, so she simply smiled and nodded.

"It IS you! I can't believe it!" he said with glee, walking up and giving her a gentle hug. "I thought you had been badly hurt! Are you OK?"

Latias looked around, then saw the professor's laptop. She hurried over to it and began typing rapidly. Professor Elm walked over and looked at what she had typed.

_I'm fine, but a group of bad people are after me. I came back here to find out where Roku went so I could ask for his help._

Professor Elm nodded and said, "Well, that's fine, but Roku actually left to look for you. As far as I know, he's probably heading towards Azalea Town."

Latias deleted what she had typed and typed some more.

_Can you call him for me?_

"Uh, I'll try," Professor Elm, turning to his P*DA. He went through his contacts until Roku's name popped up, then he called him. It rang, but he got no answer.

"He must be in a hole somewhere," Professor Elm said. Then he looked at Latias, who had a look of horror on her face.

"No, I mean in a dead zone, like his P*DA's not getting any signal."

Latias nodded and typed some more.

_Can you track him somehow?_

"I don't know," he said. "If his P*DA's not receiving any calls, then I don't know if I can ping him."

Latias nodded and hung her head in sadness.

"Hey, that's not the girl I know," the professor said softly. "I'm sure he's fine. He is a strong Trainer, after all."

Latias nodded and typed _Thank you_ on the laptop before taking her leave.

"Hey, wait!" Professor Elm shouted before Latias could reach the door. "Are you sure you want to go out there, what with that evil group chasing after you?"

Latias thought for a bit. The professor did have a point. She dashed back to the laptop and typed.

_Do you think that they can track me here?_

"Don't worry," Professor Elm reassured her. "I'll make sure nothing hurts you. You can count on that."

Latias smiled sadly and hugged the professor.

"Thank you…" she said, knowing that the professor couldn't hear her, but feeling like it had to be said.

"Heh, it's no problem, Latias," the professor said. "As far as I know, your den should still be open, if you want to rest your wings."

Latias let go of the professor and nodded, leaving the lab.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Union Cave Interior**

"Man, it's dark in here," I said. "Hey, Zuki, could you light it up in here?"

"Sure thing," Zuki obliged, sending out her Umbreon and telling it to use Flash. The group made sure to close their eyes tightly before Umbreon blinded them again. When I opened my eyes again, the cave looked like a lit bunker.

"Come on, let's keep moving," I said, pressing on.

We walked on a little further, when I decided to ask Reia something.

"Hey, Reia?" I started. "Do you have a legendary partner?"

Reia stopped and hung her head in sadness. Then she started crying softly.

"Huh? Did I say something wrong?" I said, looking at Zuki.

"Reia doesn't like to tell this story, but she lost all of her Pokémon during an exhibition mission," Zuki said sadly. "She was ambushed by Team Prime's admins, and none of her Pokémon made it, except for Lyra, whom she protected with her own life."

"That's horrible…" I said, feeling a weight being pressed on my chest. To lose all of your Pokémon…that's the worst fate for any Pokémon Trainer. You might as well have just killed them.

I walked up to Reia and embraced her lightly, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"No, it's OK," she said, wiping the tears from her face. "I swore that I'd get revenge on them. That's why I joined the Legend Keepers in the first place." Her expression turned to one of confidence and fury. "They will pay…"

With that, Reia stood up straight and kept walking. I followed behind her, not helping but admiring her strength. Anyone else I know would've gone insane from a traumatic experience like that.

In that moment, I decided to join the Legend Keepers indefinitely. As soon as we got to Ecruteak, I was heading straight for that dance theater.

But it wasn't just for Reia, no. It was for Latias; for myself; for the world.

Luna and I looked at each other, and I could tell that she was thinking the same things that I was. I nodded, and she nodded back.

It was decided. Our paths were set. And if anything gets in my way…

_They're gonna feel my wrath._

* * *

Author's Note: Looks like Roku has made his choice. And with his newly evolved Umbreon, nothing will get in the way of his goals. At least, so we think…

Anyway, I'm running out of ideas for something to write on my end notes, so if anyone who reads this has any suggestions for space-claimers, then post them in the reviews.

That's it for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	9. The Union Cave, Part Two

Chapter 9: The Union Cave, Part Two

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Union Cave**

"Whoa…"

"Amazing…I've never seen anything like it…"

Luna, Reia, Lyra, Zuki and I were absolutely starstruck as the Egg I'd been carrying for a while glowed brighter than Umbreon himself. I could see numerous cracks appearing in the shell, and it looked like it was under a lot of pressure.

"Everybody get down!" I shouted, hitting the dirt.

We all hit the ground as the Egg exploded, sending fragments flying everywhere. A few hit my back, and they burnt like fire.

As soon as the light died down, I was left looking at a blue canine-looking creature with a black mask-like marking on its face. I recognized the Pokémon immediately.

"That's a Riolu!" I said, getting to my feet. The Riolu opened its eyes and locked them with mine. I saw them glow faintly, then they lit up.

"It seems that Riolu has already taken a liking to you," Zuki said, smiling. "It must have found something in your aura that it liked."

"Hi there! I'm Riolu!" the Riolu spoke perfectly, despite only being a few minutes old.

"Hey, little guy," I answered, smiling. "My name is Roku. Looks like we'll be training together. Let's make this work, huh, bud?"

"Train?" Riolu said, cocking his head. "At what?"

"We're going to teach you how to battle with Pokémon," Luna said. "My name's Luna. I'll teach you everything I know."

"OK! Let's do this!" Riolu shouted confidently, jumping back and going into a battle stance.

"Well, you've already got the first part down: confidence," Luna said. "If you don't show confidence, your opponents are gonna walk all over you."

Luna stepped up and went into a battle stance. "Now let's see what you can do to back up your confidence. Hit me with your best shot."

Riolu nodded and dashed forward with amazing speed, nailing a direct punch in Luna's face and pushing her back slightly.

"Whoa, that was Quick Attack!" I said with glee. Riolu already had a useful offensive move to start off with.

"Great shot!" Luna commended him. "But now you're wide open. Time to see how well you can defend."

Luna dashed at Riolu with a Quick Attack of her own. Riolu's eyes gleamed slightly, and he dodged flawlessly right once Luna was about to land the hit.

"That was Foresight," Reia said. "He's not just about offense; he's got great reflexes, too."

Riolu landed and went into a defensive stance.

"Is that all you've got?!" he taunted.

"Ooh…cockiness is the worst thing you can show," Luna said. "Because things like this can happen!"

Riolu's eyes widened in fear as Luna fired off a Swift attack in his direction. He began to dodge, but the rays kept following him. In a desperate attempt to dodge, Riolu triggered Quick Attack and dashed off, the rays still following him and gaining fast.

"There's no dodging this move!" Luna shouted. "You might as well give up!"

Riolu then got a plan. He stopped and held his arms up in defense.

BOOM!

A massive black cloud of smoke plumed up from where the attack slammed into Riolu. I feared for the worst during that time, until I saw something that made my jaw drop.

Riolu was still standing there, his arms up, breathing heavily.

"What the hell?!" Luna shouted in disbelief. "How are you still standing?!"

"I'm the Pokémon that takes a licking and keeps on ticking!" Riolu shouted. He then launched forward and scored another direct hit on Luna with Quick Attack, this time knocking her back.

"Riolu must have Endure," Zuki chimed in. "That's a very useful move."

"Man! He's a resourceful little shit!" Luna cursed. She dashed at Riolu and missed again due to his Foresight, and he scored yet another Quick Attack on her. It didn't deal as much damage as the hits before, so that meant Riolu was starting to lose his focus.

_Time to end this! _She thought to herself.

Luna launched one last Swift attack, ready to secure victory. But Riolu had other plans.

"I'm not going down just yet!" he shouted. He put his hands up again, but he didn't stiffen up like he should've.

"Ah, crap," Riolu said sheepishly before the rays slammed into him.

* * *

**Aria's P.O.V.**

**Team Prime HQ**

"So…not only has Jay failed me, but you as well, Aria…" The boss whirled around and locked eyes with Aria. "That's so disappointing. And I even trained you myself."

"I'm sorry, sir…I didn't expect the Kimono Girl to be that strong," Aria excused. "We had beaten her before; I thought I could win again."

"And don't you remember that it took all three of you to take her out?" the boss reminded her. "And then she sent your asses packing once she and Raikou joined forces."

"Grr…don't remind me…" she said silently.

"I'm going to remind you because you made a mistake that you always make!" The boss shouted. "You underestimate the Legend Keepers!"

"What do you expect me to do?!" Aria shot back. "Treat them as equals?! I thought we were supposed to destroy them, not ally with them!"

The boss pulled out the remaining two Poke Balls. "I ask you to give them a taste of their own medicine. Choose one."

Aria was hesitant. The boss usually wasn't this generous, and gifts like these usually came with a price. She eventually decided to take one of the boss's offers, because he also didn't like it when he offered something and was refused.

"Ah, so you choose Yveltal," the boss said evilly. "Wonderful. It suits you."

Aria looked at the ball and felt a massive power wash over her. She knew that in the Kalos region, Yveltal had a hand in the creation of the ultimate weapon that wiped out the region over 3,000 years ago. As the God of Destruction, Yveltal was one of the most powerful Legendary Pokémon in the world.

"Thank you, boss," Aria said. "I will use it well."

"I'll hold you to that promise," the boss said.

Aria bowed slightly and left the boss's office.

"Hehehe…" the boss laughed. "It's all going according to plan, Darkrai. Soon, the Forbidden Pokémon will be released from the sub-space rift that he was trapped in, and this world will be ours."

Darkrai emerged from the shadows. "But Gordon does not possess one of the Pokémon of the Dark Covenant. We need all four Trainers to complete the ritual."

"Exactly. I've already sent Gordon to the Slowpoke Well to stir up some trouble. If my calculations are correct, either Zuki or that kid she's traveling with will defeat him. Then he'll come back, begging for mercy, and he'll gain possession of the last Pokémon needed to complete the Dark Covenant."

The boss and Darkrai laughed cruelly. Their plans were finally being launched.

Their world conquest had begun.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 33**

"Yes! Finally!"

Once I saw light coming from an opening in the wall, I didn't stop running until I reached that light and broke out into the outside world.

"I'm out!" I said, taking in the rain that was falling that night. "I can't believe I'm out!"

The girls, however, (excluding Luna) were scurrying to get to Azalea Town as quick as possible to prevent their clothes from getting all wet.

"Heh…What's the matter, ladies?" I laughed. "Afraid of a little water?"

"Yeah, you didn't pay $50,000 for this outfit!" Reia shouted.

"My sisters would kill me if this kimono got ruined!" Zuki shouted.

"Heh…sissies," I said, running with them.

Surprisingly, the rain was only on that part of the road. Once we reached the city limits, the rain cut off.

"Huh…that's a little odd…" I said, confused. "The rain just stops off here."

"Yeah, we've never figured out why," Zuki said. "Some people seem to think it's because of the Slowpoke that hang around in the well."

"Slowpoke?" I said, holding back a laugh. Slowpoke were by far the stupidest Pokémon I'd ever seen. The Pokedex said something about Slowpoke not being able to notice if something's been biting it for at least a day.

"Yeah, I remember reading something about that," Reia chimed in. "Records show that a Slowpoke's yawn has the ability to summon rain. A Slowpoke ended a drought that way over 1,000 years ago."

"Heh, I'll believe that when I see it," I said, laughing. Just then, a Slowpoke that was laying there yawned loudly. I started to see thunderclouds form up overhead.

'You jinxed it, you asshole," Reia scoffed, hurrying to the Pokémon Center. I shrugged my shoulders and followed her.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**New Bark Town**

After a nice rest, Latias was raring to go again. However, night had fallen, and she didn't want to head out at this time. So she contented herself with laying there in her den.

"Hey," said a voice behind her. Latias whirled around and powered up her Dragon Breath.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on, Latias!" Professor Elm shouted. "It's me!"

Latias calmed herself and crossed her arms, telling him that she was angry for sneaking up on her like that.

"Sorry, I forgot that you got attacked at night," the professor apologized. "I wanted to check on you and see how you were doing."

Professor Elm had brought his laptop so he and Latias could communicate. She took it from his arms and typed away.

_I'm OK, but it still doesn't feel the same without Roku here._

"Yeah, I miss him, too," the professor said. "But he was going to leave someday. I could tell."

_Yeah, but he only left because of me. If I hadn't left, he would still be here._

"It's not your fault, Latias," Professor Elm said reassuringly. "You had no choice. You felt like there was no other choice."

Latias hung her head. She knew that it was because of her that Roku got caught up in all this mess. She typed another message.

_Can you try to contact him again?_

"Because it's you, I'll try again," the professor said, pulling up Roku's number.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Azalea Town Pokémon Center**

I sat there, waiting to get my Pokémon back from Nurse Joy, when my P*DA lit up with a call from Professor Elm. I answered it, pulling up a small hologram of the professor.

"Professor Elm!" I said. "What's up?"

"I have someone here who would like to speak to you." The professor's face left the range, and was replaced by an auburn-haired girl that almost made my heart stop.

"Latias! Is it really you?!" I said excitedly.

"Hello, Roku," Latias said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Heh, yeah…" I said, a tear rolling down my cheek. "Are you OK? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Latias replied. "The Legend Keepers insisted on keeping me locked up in the HQ, but that wasn't flying with me." Her expression turned to one of sadness. "I didn't know that you would come looking for me."

"I had to find out why you left without saying goodbye," I said, the tears getting thicker. "I was really worried about you. I thought you were really hurt."

"I'm sorry, Roku," Latias said, her voice choking up slightly. "If it weren't for me, then you would've never gotten involved in all this…"

"Don't be," I replied. "If you'll meet me back in Ecruteak, then we can be involved in this together."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, confused.

"I'm joining the Legend Keepers," I said. "I'm doing it to protect the Legendary Pokémon, as well as the world. But, most of all, I'm doing it for you."

"Roku…Are you sure?" Latias said. "Being a Legend Keeper can be dangerous. You could die from it."

"If I'm gonna go down, then I'm gonna go out guns blazing, with the friends that I hold dear," I said, a confident tone in my voice. "I'm ready to accept that fate, if it ever comes down to it."

"Good!"

I whirled around to find Reia and Zuki looking at me. Reia had changed into a small blue parka that cut off above her belly button and a pair of skinny jeans with a black pair of high tops. Zuki had changed out of her kimono and was now wearing a black dress with crescent patterns covering the skirt. Her hair was also down, which was long, deep black, and flowing.

"So, you're ready to accept the responsibilities of a Legend Keeper?" Reia asked me.

"Who's she?" Latias asked.

"That's Reia Sakura, a Legend Keeper I met shortly after leaving New Bark Town," I explained.

"Nice to meet you, Reia," Latias said formally. "I'm Latias."

"Latias?!" Zuki and Reia shouted at the same time.

Right then, my P*DA was taken over by the two, Reia wanting to meet another Legendary Pokémon, and Zuki wondering why Latias wasn't at the HQ. I eventually got them off my wrist, and I introduced Latias to Luna, who was confused.

"I thought Latias was a Pokémon," Luna said, confused. "But that looks like a normal human to me."

"That's because I can assume a human form to prevent people from seeing me for who I really am," Latias explained. "I can even camouflage myself entirely to render myself completely invisible to curious eyes."

"Wow, that's handy," Luna said.

I held back a laugh. "Seriously? That's all you have to say?"

"What else do you expect me to say?" Luna said.

"Well, I figured that you'd say something like 'Wow, that's cool!' instead of 'Wow, that's handy," I replied. "That just sounded dull."

"Well, when it gets right down to it, is really is rather handy," Latias said. "I took out three dragon riders on a stealth assault in midair."

"Wow, no kidding?" I said, impressed.

"Yep! Nailed 'em out of the air with a couple of Dragon Breaths and finished the last one with a Mist Ball to the face," Latias bragged. "It was no big deal, really…"

Latias and I stayed up the entire night, talking. Eventually, I got tired, and I had to say a painful goodbye.

"I'll see you in Ecruteak, OK?" I said.

"Yeah. I'll be there," Latias said.

I nodded and said goodbye, closing the link.

* * *

Author's Note: Roku and Latias finally see each other again after that fateful night, and now they have locked in a time where they will see each other face-to-face. Kind of sets the mood, doesn't it? Or is that just me?

Anyway, I guess I'll just throw out some random crap, since I've got nothing better to do than waste time. So, here's a retarded riddle for you: If you're going down a river and the wheels fall off of your canoe, how many pancakes does it take to shingle your doghouse?

Answer: 12, because fish don't like ice cream.

There. There's something to make you think: Man, this guy's weird. But don't let it stop you from reading my work.

That's it for this installment. Strato Abyss signing out.


	10. Trouble at the Well

Chapter 10: Trouble at the Well

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Azalea City Pokémon Center**

"Huh…?"

I stood up, looking around a weird scene. It was like staring into a rainbow as it's being formed in your face.

"Is this…a dream?" I said to myself. "It's gotta be. I haven't left the Pokémon Center. At least, I think I didn't."

I looked around some more. Just then, I heard a slight whispering in my head.

"Hello?" I said loudly. "Is someone there?"

"...You…me…"

"What?!" I shouted. I couldn't make out what the voice was saying. Suddenly, I felt my mind begin to wake up, and I tried my best to cling to the dream a little longer. Eventually, I faded out.

* * *

_That morning…_

I woke up to a bright light shining in my eyes. It turned out to be Reia shining her P*DA light in my face.

"Will you cut that out?" I said, irritated.

"We've got trouble!" she said worriedly. "Someone's stirring up the Slowpoke down in the well!"

"Slowpoke can get stirred up?" I said groggily, reflecting on how lazy Slowpoke usually were.

"C'mon! We have to help them!" Reia pulled me out of bed and dragged me to the dressing room, throwing me in and saying, "Hurry up and get dressed! We have to move! Zuki is waiting outside, and she doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

I pulled on my hoodie and jeans, slowly, and exited the Pokémon Center, where Zuki scolded me about being such a heavy sleeper. I shoved her off and went to the well so we could see what the disturbance was.

Sure enough, there was some guy standing guard at the entrance, him and his Patrat. I looked at Luna, who nodded, and proceeded towards him.

"You sons of bitches!" I heard a very loud and gravely voice shout behind me. I turned around to see some old guy run up and give the grunt a good whack with his pack. The grunt began to fall down the well, and on the way down, he grabbed the old man's pack and took him down with him.

"Oh, crap! We gotta help him!" I shouted. Luna and I ran up to the entrance and grabbed the ladder, sliding down it.

Once we reached the bottom, we found the old man lying on his back, groaning in pain.

"Hey, are you OK?" I asked.

"Aggh…I took a fall down the well, and now I can't move," the old guy said. "Who are you?"

"I'm Roku Kimura," I introduced. "This is my partner, Luna."

"I'm Reia Sakura," Reia followed. "And this is my partner, Lyra."

"And I'm Zuki Nakazato," Zuki said.

"I'm Kurt," the old guy said. "Sorry you've gotta see me like this. If I were younger, my Pokémon would've punished him…"

"Don't worry, Kurt," I said. "We'll show him who's boss in your place."

"Heh, thanks, kid!" he said. "It's great to know that there are people out there who still care."

I nodded and motioned Reia and Zuki to follow. We proceeded to move farther into the well.

* * *

**Unknown P.O.V.**

**Slowpoke Well Entrance**

"They've gone into the well. I'm going in."

"Very well. But remember, do not engage. I don't want Reia knowing what we're up to."

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**New Bark Town**

Latias sat up and yawned loudly. That night, she got an amazing night's sleep, and now she was feeling as bright as the sun itself. She felt so good, in fact, that she felt like it was a good time to give Mrs. Kimura a visit. She hadn't seen her in a while, and she felt like Roku's mother needed to know how her son was doing.

Picking up Professor Elm's laptop, she made her way to Roku's house and knocked on the door. Mrs. Kimura opened it up and lit up once she saw who it was.

"Latias!" she screamed with joy, giving Latias a tight hug. "It's been ages! How are you?"

_Well, as far as I know, it's only been, like, a week, _she typed. _But I'm good. I figured I'd come by for a little visit._

"Well, that's nice of you to come over," Mrs. Kimura said with joy. "Come in!"

Latias smiled and followed Mrs. Kimura into the living room, where a man she didn't expect to see was sitting on the couch.

"Cedric? What are you doing here?" Latias said with confusion.

"I'm here enjoying a chat with a retired Legend Keeper," Cedric said. "Kyoko was one of our most powerful agents. It's a shame she's not with us anymore."

"I always said 'once you take that oath, there's no going back'," Kyoko said from the kitchen, where she was preparing tea. "I'm just not in the fighting part of it anymore. I'll still do all I can to protect the Legendary Pokémon."

"Wait, so, you can understand me?" Latias said.

"Well, yes," Kyoko said. She came back into the living room with three steaming cups, and handed one to Cedric and Latias. "I just didn't want Roku catching on if he found out about the Legend Keepers."

"Well, you're a bit too late on that one, Mrs. Kimura," Latias said. "Roku's already decided to join."

Kyoko nearly spit out her tea at these words. She gulped it down and said, "Are you serious?!" Then she turned to Cedric and said, "Do you know about this?"

"Well, I actually sent one of my agents to recruit him because of his gift with Pokémon," Cedric confessed. "I didn't know that he actually wanted to join."

"And who, may I ask, is traveling with my son?" Kyoko said angrily, putting her hands on her hips.

"Her name is Reia Sakura," Latias said. "She's actually a nice girl. She and Roku have become great friends, as far as I know."

"Hmm…must be a new recruit. I've never heard her name," Kyoko said, the anger leaving her mind.

"Don't worry, Roku's in good hands," Cedric reassured her. "Reia is a damn good Trainer. She's conquered the Kalos region Pokémon League already."

"But, why is she only carrying her Vulpix? Shouldn't she have stronger Pokémon if she's beaten a Pokémon League?" Latias asked.

Cedric turned away in sadness. "Reia's Pokémon were killed on a mission. She was ambushed by Team Prime and their three Dragons. Only her partner, Vulpix, made it."

"What…?" Kyoko said, horrified. "That's terrible! Why would they do such a thing?!"

"They will do anything to attain ultimate power," Cedric said. "You see, Reia was in possession of an extremely powerful Legendary Pokémon, called Yveltal. This Pokémon had a hand in the creation of the ultimate weapon some 3,000 years ago."

"I heard about that legend!" Latias piped up. "There were two powers used to complete the ultimate weapon; one of life and one of death."

"Yes," Cedric continued. "There were two Legendary Pokémon that were used to supply those powers: Xerneas, the Life Pokémon, and Yveltal, the Destruction Pokémon. I would tell you about them, but it's a long story."

"Well, we're all here," Kyoko said, sitting down. "Tell us the story."

"Very well," Cedric said. "I'll tell you one of Kalos' most famous tales."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Slowpoke Well**

After destroying the remainder of the Team Prime grunts, I was left staring at a terribly awful scene. There were Slowpoke all over the well with their tails cut off, and the ones who didn't make it were off to the side, rotting in a pile. I held back my gag reflex and proceeded to the admin, who was larger than Bruno of the Johto League himself.

"I seriously don't get why the boss asked me to do this," the admin groaned, chopping off the tail of yet another Slowpoke. "This has nothing to do with our cause, but I'd best not disobey him."

"Hey!" I shouted, making my presence known.

The admin turned around and looked at me. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the one who'll be kicking your ass unless you stop this madness!" I shouted.

"Ha! And what's a little whelping like you gonna do if I don't?!" the admin laughed.

"I'll show you!" I shouted. "Go, Luna!"

Luna jumped forward, ready to destroy another Team Prime weakling.

"Heh, I'm gonna enjoy watching you fall," he said with an evil smile. "Go, Dragonite!"

"What did he just say…?" I said, a look of horror washing down my face.

The admin lobbed out a Poke Ball, sending out the massive orange dragon. I was instantly shaking, for Dragonite were incredibly powerful. Luna looked ahead, still trying to be brave, but I knew that she was also scared.

"Gordon!" Zuki yelled as she and Reia ran up. "Do not underestimate this Trainer!"

"Hahaha! Well, if it isn't Zuki!" Gordon laughed. "Not so tough without your sisters, are you?"

"No, but we are together," Zuki said, stepping up beside me.

"You can't beat all three of us!" Reia said, standing beside me as well.

"Ha! Very well, then," Gordon laughed. "I'll defeat all three of you AND take Raikou!"

"Fat chance! Go, Lyra!" Reia shouted.

"Raikou! Take the lead!" Zuki shouted, throwing out her Legendary Partner.

The three Pokémon faced the imposing Dragonite.

"Ha! Prepare to lose, runts!" Dragonite laughed.

"That's kind of a stupid thing to say, because the only one who's runtish out of all of us is Lyra," Raikou said technically. "No offense, Lyra."

"Some taken," Lyra growled.

"And second of all, it's not good to be cocky at the start of a battle," Raikou continued.

"And why would that be, old-timer?" Dragonite teased.

"This," said a voice behind him.

Dragonite was then nailed in the back of the head by a vicious Swift attack from Luna, who had slipped behind him while Raikou was distracting him. Dragonite hit the ground, where Lyra launched a Confuse Ray to keep him loopy.

"Now, Raikou! Rain Dance!"

Raikou roared loudly, making my ears ring afterwards, and it soon started to rain in the cave.

"Come on, Dragonite! Use Dragon Pulse!" Gordon yelled desperately.

Dragonite stumbled up and launched his attack, totally missing his opponents and taking out a nearby pillar.

"OK! Hit him with Thunder!" Zuki shouted.

The clouds on Raikou's back, as well as the ones that had spawned up in the cave, were glowing dangerously. I could feel the hair on my head stand on end, and I knew that this was going to be a doozy.

"Taste my lightning, you overgrown lizard!" Raikou shouted before dropping a massive thunderbolt on Dragonite from above. Dragonite writhed and jolted violently, before becoming limp.

"Dragonite…?" Gordon said, awestruck.

"Yeah! We won!" I shouted with glee.

"Grr…come back," Gordon said, returning the fainted Dragonite to his Poke Ball. "You got lucky this time, kid. But know this: all lucky streaks break at some point." He dropped a Smoke Ball and exploded in a cloud of smoke, disappearing instantly.

"Damn…he got away," I cursed.

"It doesn't matter," Zuki said. "We saved the Slowpoke. For the most part, that is…"

"Yeah…this is terrible," Reia said sadly, taking a gander at the pile of dead Slowpoke.

"I think they should have a proper burial," I said. "I think a call to Pokémon Tower in Kanto should be in order."

"Hang on, Slowpoke! I'm on my way!"

We turned around to see a kid no older than 12 with purple hair and a butterfly net run up. He stopped once he saw us.

"Did you three do this?!" he said angrily, wielding his net like a sword.

"What? No!" I said. "My name is Roku, and these are my friends Reia and Zuki."

"'Sup?" Reia said casually. Zuki facepalmed at these words.

"Hmm…well, you don't seem to be bad people," he said, lowering his net. "My name's Bugsy. I'm the Gym Leader in this town. I heard that someone was down here, cutting off Slowpoke's tails, so I came down here to investigate."

"Well, we already took care of the guy who was doing this horrible thing, but he escaped," Reia said. "But…why would Team Prime do something like this? Not even they would stoop so low."

"Who knows? Maybe they have 'legendary' properties," I joked, trying to break the gloom hanging over their heads. All I got was a slap in the back of the head from Zuki.

"Who's Team Prime?" Bugsy asked curiously.

"They're a criminal organization who is trying to capture the Legendary Pokémon of the world to claim the world as their own," Reia explained. "We are trying to stop them, wherever they may be."

"But, what would they want to do with the Slowpoke?" Bugsy asked. "I'm pretty sure that they're not classified as 'legendary'…"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Zuki said. "It's worrisome, but I'm pretty sure they just needed a little more money."

"Yeah, I heard that Slowpoke Tails are loaded with nutrients," Reia said. "They sold pretty well because of that, until people found out where they came from."

"That's disgusting!" I said. "Who'd want to eat a tail?!"

"Regardless, I'd just say it was a desperate to get some fundage," Zuki said. "Aside from that, we should show these Slowpoke the respect they deserve. Bugsy, can you find a place to bury these Pokémon?"

"No problem, Zuki," Bugsy said. "I'll get the entire town to help out. They love these Slowpoke as much as I do."

We spent the rest of the day gathering the Slowpoke (as smelly as they were) and taking them to the site that Bugsy told us about. Kurt was also feeling better by that time, and he helped us, despite his granddaughter's protests, for which he answered with, "It's just a strained back, I'll be fine!"

Once the Slowpoke were gathered and the graves were dug, the entire town showed up for the procession. Even the rest of the Slowpoke gathered to mourn their fallen kin. It was truly a grim day, and it was even gloomier for the Slowpoke, because one of them yawned and made it rain to add to the effect.

After the procession, night had fallen, and we were helping Bugsy and Nurse Joy patch up the Slowpoke who had survived "the Slowpoke Massacre", as it was christened.

"Hey, I know this isn't a good time to ask this, " I said to Nurse Joy. "But, how many of you are there?"

Nurse Joy looked at me with a horrified look. "You…do NOT…want to know."

We laughed for a minute, then continued with the job. After a few more minutes, I looked over at Luna, who was hanging her head, looking sad.

"What's wrong, Luna?" I asked worriedly. "Still feeling it from the funeral?"

"No, it's not the procession," Luna said, tears welling up in her eyes. "It was that entire scene in the well. I've never seen anything so…horrible."

"Hey…" I said, wrapping Luna in a hug. "It's OK. You don't have to deal with anything like that ever again." Then I looked at her. "To tell you the truth, it got to me, too. I couldn't even imagine someone could be as heartless as that."

I sat there the rest of the night, comforting my partner. But it wasn't just her that I was trying to heal emotionally.

It was my own heart that I had to heal as well.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, there's the Slowpoke Well incident through the eyes of a Legend Keeper. I could imagine what Roku and Luna would be going through emotionally right then. I'm pretty sure seeing something like that would traumatize even the hardest of hearts. Well, maybe not Darius'….

Anyway, Roku will be taking on the Azalea City Gym in the next chapter. I'm also thinking about throwing in another one of Roku's preset Pokémon. Maybe Snivy, or Vulpix, something along those lines. Wait…aren't those the only ones I have yet to introduce? Let's see, Eevee, Latias, Fennekin, Riolu…yep, only two left. Maybe I'll save them for the much later chapters.

Well, that's all for yet another chapter. And my 10th! Maybe I'll celebrate by adding yet another retarded remark! Here's an old one for you: One time, when I was 7, I punched a triangle in the face, and it ate my shoe.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	11. Pesky Bugs!

Chapter 11: Pesky Bugs!

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Azalea Town Pokémon Center**

I woke up on the floor of the Pokémon Center, noticing that Luna and I had stayed up all night. Her head was resting on my lap, and she was snoring softly.

_Heh…she looks so peaceful,_ I thought to myself.

Being careful not to wake her, I stood up and went to the dressing room to wash my clothes, which had become dirty after digging those graves. When I was finished and dressed, I walked out to see Luna just beginning to wake up.

"Hey," I said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm still a little shaken up, but I'm OK," she said, yawning and stretching out her body.

"I bet a Gym Battle can take your mind off it," I said, smiling.

Luna perked up at these words. "Really?"

"Well, sure," I said. "Bugsy is the Gym Leader. If we take him out, that's our second Gym Badge."

"Yeah, but we'll be going up against Bug-types," Luna said. "As far as I know, I've got a disadvantage against Bug-types."

"Then you'll stand back as a reserve," I said. "I've got Fennekin to deal with him, and Reia has Lyra. With two powerful Fire-types in our arsenal, we can't lose!"

Just then, Fennekin released himself from his Poke Ball and said, "Let's fry some bugs!"

I laughed and went outside to try and find Reia. She was sitting on a bench with Zuki, surrounded by Slowpoke.

"The Slowpoke showing you gratitude?" I said, walking up to them.

"Yeah, actually," Reia said in a rough tone. "They're saying thank you for helping them out and for showing so much respect towards their fallen brethren."

"I didn't mean it as a joke! I was just asking a question!" I shot back, sensing what the tone was for. "Sheesh, lighten up, will ya? We've got a Gym to conquer."

"So, we're gonna challenge Bugsy?" Reia asked.

"Yeah, so let's get a move on!" I said, heading to the Gym.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**New Bark Town**

Latias woke up back in her den. She yawned loudly and floated out, looking around for the people who were doing their daily routine.

But no one was around.

Latias floated to Roku's house to find no one there, either. _What's going on…_she thought to herself. Curious, she moved to the entrance of Route 29 in the hopes that they were in Cherrygrove somewhere. But right as she was about to enter the grass, she bumped into something and moved back slightly.

_What the hell?_

Latias tapped the invisible wall in front of her. She then heard a door open. Latias turned quickly to see who it was. But then, she gasped.

She was back in the Legend Keeper HQ.

"Ah, Latias, you're awake," Cedric said as he walked in. "I hope you got a good night's sleep."

"You!" Latias said, flying forward and tackling Cedric to the ground. She extended her claws and held them up to Cedric's neck.

"How do you want me to kill you?" she said aggressively. "Quick and painless, or slow and miserable?"

"Latias, calm down!" Cedric said. "You're safer here! We can protect you here!"  
"I can take care of myself!" Latias shouted. "I was perfectly fine on my own!"

"Team Prime would've found you sooner or later!" Cedric argued. "You need to stay here!"

Latias screamed and slashed Cedric across the face, leaving 3 nasty gashes. Then she floated up and away to take shelter in her den.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Azalea Town Gym**

"Hi! I'm glad you came!"

We had walked over to the Gym. Once we stepped in, Bugsy was at the door, greeting us.

"So, ready to battle?" I said, pulling out my Poke Ball.

"Are you both going to be battling?" Bugsy inquired, looking at Reia.

"Yep! Pick your partner and let's get to it!" Reia said enthusiastically.

Bugsy nodded and motioned for his Bug Catcher to come forward. We took our places on the battlefield.

"Time to show you how great Bug-types are!" Bugsy said, throwing out a Poke Ball. "Go, Scyther!"

I winced as Bugsy threw out one of the strongest Bug-type Pokémon in the Johto region. I pulled out my P*DA and pulled up Scyther's entry.

"Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon," the Pokedex said. "It tears and shreds prey with its wickedly sharp scythes. It rarely spreads its wings to fly."

"So, that means it has high offensive capabilities," I said to myself. "And the way Scyther looks, he's got good agility as well."

The Bug Catcher sent out his Pokémon, which was a Spinarak.

"Alright, Fennekin!" I shouted, throwing my Poke Ball. "It's your turn!"

The small fire fox flowed out of the ball and went into a battle stance.

"Luna, front and center!" Reia shouted, sending her partner into battle.

"This is an Azalea Town Double Battle challenge!" the same fat guy from before shouted. "In this battle, each Trainer is permitted to use 3 Pokémon. Only the challengers may switch out Pokémon. The first team to knock out the opponent's Pokémon wins! Battle Begin!"

"Scyther! Use U-turn!" Bugsy ordered.

Scyther dashed forward with incredible and sliced Fennekin with a vicious claw, then went back into Bugsy's Poke Ball.

"What?" I said. "But I thought only the challengers could change Pokémon!"

"U-turn allows the user to switch with a waiting Pokémon in the owner's team," Reia explained. "It's a perfectly legal move."

"Damn…he's using guerrilla tactics!" I said. "We'll just have to take out his reserves as fast as possible. I'll take Bugsy, while you make sure that Bug Catcher doesn't get a chance to get involved."

"No problem," Reia said, irritation showing through in her voice.

"I know you're itching for a chance, but I'll need your help once Scyther is alone," I reasoned. Reia nodded and ordered Lyra to use Ember on the Bug Catcher's Spinarak, which inflicted a burn.

"That'll teach him to play with fire," Lyra said cockily.

Bugsy sent out his next Pokémon, a Metapod. I ordered Fennekin to hit it with Flame Charge, and Metapod was being sent flying before Bugsy could do anything. I took this opportunity to switch out Fennekin with Pidgey, while Bugsy sent out his Scyther again. At this time, the Bug Catcher's Spinarak fainted, in which he replaced it with a Weedle.

"Scyther, U-turn again!"

Scyther dashed forward and struck Pidgey hard, knocking it out and moving back to his Poke Ball. Bugsy sent out his next wall, a Kakuna. I sent Fennekin back out.

"Fennekin, use Howl!" I ordered.

Fennekin howled loudly, pumping himself up. Kakuna retaliated with Poison Sting, dealing a slight amount of damage.

"Now, finish him with Flame Charge!" I shouted.

Fennekin burst forward and slammed into the Kakuna, taking it out. Scyther was wide open, and I knew I had a chance to secure victory. Reia had taken out the Weedle, and was now up against a really fuzzy worm Pokémon that I'd never seen before. I pulled up the Pokedex and looked up its entry.

"Spewpa, the Scatterdust Pokémon, and the evolved form of Scatterbug," the Pokedex said. "It lives hidden within thicket shadows. When predators attack, it quickly bristles the fur covering its body in an effort to threaten them."

"Reia! Be careful!" I shouted.

"You're talking to someone from Kalos, Roku," Reia shouted. "I know what I'm doing when it comes to a Kalosian Pokémon. Lyra, Confuse Ray!"

Lyra launched an eerie light into Spewpa's face, confusing it. Lyra followed up with an Ember to the face, knocking it out instantly.

Now, it was only Scyther. Lyra and Fennekin looked at each other, then nodded.

"Lyra!" Reia shouted.

"Fennekin!" I yelled.

"Ember, now!" we shouted in unison.

Fennekin and Lyra released their attacks as one, creating an even stronger Ember attack. Scyther took both of them head on and flew back, his whole body singed.

"Scyther, use Quick Attack!" Bugsy shouted desperately.

"Priority won't save you this time, Bugs! Fennekin, Flame Charge!" I shouted.

Fennekin blasted forward and collided with the speeding Scyther, but Fennekin's attack was stronger, blasting Scyther back. Scyther hit the ground and slid at least 5 feet before stopping. He wasn't moving.

"Scyther is unable to battle!" the fat guy yelled. "Fennekin and Lyra are the winners! The victory goes to Roku and Reia!"

"Yeah! Number Two goes up in smoke!" I shouted victoriously. "We did it!"

Then we both stopped as Fennekin started glowing brightly. I knew that Fennekin was about to evolve.

Once the light faltered, I was left staring at a fox creature that was standing on its hind legs. It looked like it was wearing some kind of skirt, and a twig was sticking out of its thick bushy tail. It was weirding me out, so I looked it up in the Pokedex.

"Braixen, the Fox Pokémon and the evolved form of Fennekin," the Pokedex chimed off. "It has a twig stuck in its tail."

_Thank you, Captain Obvious…_I thought to myself.

"With friction from its tail fur, it sets the twig on fire and launches into battle."

"Braixen, huh?" I said, closing the app and looking at the new Pokémon. "You definitely look different."

"No dip, Sherlock!" Braixen scoffed.

"Screw you, Wattson," I shot back.

We scowled at each other for a short moment, then busted up, laughing.

A short while later, Bugsy gave Reia and I the Hive Badge, as well as a TM for U-turn for the hopes of us using it as well as he did.

"My research still has a long way to go," Bugsy admitted. "When I find something new, I'll be sure to find you so we can battle again!"

"Yeah, that'd be great," I said. "Good luck with your research."

We waved goodbye to Bugsy and headed to the Pokémon Center for a rest before we headed out to our next destination.

* * *

**Darius' P.O.V.**

**Azalea Town**

Darius stood beside the gate to the Ilex forest, waiting for the Trainer to show up. He had to get vengeance for the last two battles that he had lost, and he would win. Nothing was standing in his way this time.

Except the guy resting at the Pokémon Center.

Darius couldn't understand why he was so kind towards Pokémon. All they were was tools for battle. Darius couldn't care less about a bleeding heart like him. To Darius, they were just dead weight.

Darius stood up as the Trainer and his girlfriend, as well as a strange woman he'd never seen before, exited the Pokémon Center and were making their way towards the gate. He took this opportunity as a chance to fight, and he ran up and stopped them in their tracks.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Azalea Town**

"Hey!"

I turned away from Reia to find Darius running up to us.

"Tell me, is it true that you saved a bunch of Slowpoke from getting their tails cut off?" he asked.

"And what if he did?" Reia snapped.

Darius shot a sharp look in Reia's direction, and then started towards her.

"You're not gonna touch her," I said, stepping in front of her. "I already know what you're here for. So let's get down to it."

Darius nodded and stepped back a ways. We faced each other, pulling out our Poke Balls.

"Go, Riolu!"

"Go, Pidgey!"

We sent out our Pokémon. Darius laughed once he saw my Pidgey.

"Ha! That's what you chose to start with?!" he scoffed. "Pathetic! Hit it with Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed forward, palm drawn back. I told Pidgey to dodge upwards, and he flew up in the air, dodging Riolu's attack.

"Now, use Gust!" I shouted.

Pidgey flapped his tiny wings to send a small blast of air at Riolu, who took it full-on and flew back.

"Riolu, use Foresight!" Darius shouted.

Riolu's eyes gleamed slightly. Once I told Pidgey to use Gust again, Riolu dodged flawlessly, and was then ordered to use Copycat. Pidgey was blasted out of the air, where Riolu finished him with another Force Palm.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Darius said evilly.

I returned Pidgey to his Poke Ball and said, "I'm just getting started. Go, Braixen!"

I threw out my next Pokémon, who burst out of the Poke Ball and went into a battle stance.

"Braixen, use Howl!" I shouted.

Braixen howled loudly, bringing its offensive power up. Riolu dashed forward with another Force Palm, but Braixen swung its twig out of its tail and fired off an Ember attack, dealing some damage before being hit himself.

"Now, use Flame Charge!"

Braixen exploded in flame and charged at Riolu, who had his guard up. I then saw a smile creep across Darius' face.

"Riolu, Counter!" he shouted.

Riolu wound up his fist and smashed Braixen in the face, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, not moving after impact.

"Dammit…Braixen, come back," I said with frustration, returning Braixen to his Poke Ball.

"Heh…I knew that you just got lucky in those last two battles," Darius said. "You're just as weak as the Violet City Gym Leader."

I growled and sent Luna into battle, telling her to use Swift. Riolu was blasted back by the force of the attack and knocked out.

"Damn…worthless Pokémon," Darius scoffed, returning his fallen Pokemon. "Go, Gastly!"

Darius sent out the ghostly Pokémon, whom I was slightly scared of. I pulled up the Pokedex to find out if Luna had anything that could save us from defeat.

That's when I noticed a new technique that I never knew she had.

I put the app away and shouted, "Luna, use Confuse Ray!"

Luna shot an eerie ray out of the ring on her forehead and sent Gastly floating aimlessly in the air. But I knew that was all we could do. Luna didn't have any Dark-type moves in her set, so I had nothing else to do.

Then I got an idea.

"Luna, switch out!" I said, pulling out another Poke Ball. "Go, Riolu!"

Luna backed off, and I sent out my last resort.

"Gastly, use Curse!" Darius shouted.

Gastly did an odd ritual, looking like it was in pain. I at least knew that Curse, if used by a Ghost-type Pokémon, halved the user's HP to put a hex on the target, damaging it every turn. This was the perfect moment.

"Riolu, use Foresight!" I shouted.

Riolu's eyes gleamed. I also knew that Foresight allowed the user to hit a Ghost-type with Normal- and Fighting-type moves. Gastly still floated around aimlessly, this time smacking into the gate.

"Sheesh, that's pathetic," I said. "Riolu, use Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed forward and smashed into Gastly with an outstretched palm, sending it flying and knocking it out.

Gastly was soon replaced by Darius' final Pokémon, a Magnemite. I ordered Riolu to use Force Palm again, and victory was sealed before Darius had a chance to react.

"Yeah! That's how it's done!" I shouted.

Darius was stunned. I could tell that he didn't see that coming. He returned his Pokémon, and stepped up to me.

"You got lucky…again," he said.

"Wow, then I must be on a real lucky streak," I said sarcastically. "The only reason you lost was because you were cocky."

"Humph…whatever," he scoffed. "Just make sure you stay out of my way." He shoved past me and headed to the Pokémon Center. I waited until he left before I did the same.

* * *

Author's Note: There's another Gym conquered. I've actually been playing through HeartGold again so I can plan ahead for future events. Gee, aren't I smart?

Anyway, the next chapter will be the journey to Goldenrod City, where Roku's next Gym awaits. I'll be running them through the Ilex Forest before that, and the Daycare after that. So, maybe I'll stretch that through 2 chapters, maybe even three. Who knows? Only I do.

Oh, and one of the other Kimono Girls will be making an appearance as well. I'll have to Google their names, 'cause the only ones I can remember are Zuki, Sayo, and Naoko.

That's all for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	12. The Forest's Guardian

Chapter 12: The Forest's Guardian

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

Reia, Zuki and I walked into the gate that lead to the Ilex Forest, a large forest sprawling between Azalea Town and the road to Goldenrod City. We were told that the forest had a shrine in the middle of the forest that pays homage to its guardian.

"If a forest this big has a guardian, it must be some awe-inspiring Pokémon," I said.

"Who knows? Not even I have seen Celebi since Team Prime's takeover," Zuki said.

"Celebi, huh?" I said curiously.

We were walking around the forest during this time, and I decided to look up Celebi's name in the Pokedex.

"Celebi, the Time Travel Pokémon," the Pokedex said. "It has the power to travel through time, but it is said to appear only in peaceful times."

I immediately busted up laughing once I saw Celebi's picture. It looked like an onion that had grown a body, arms, legs, and wings. By that time, we were near the shrine.

"What are you laughing at?!" Reia shouted.

"I thought Celebi was going to be awe-inspiring, but I see I set my expectations a little too high," I said, Luna snickering at the jab at Celebi's size.

"Now that's just plain rude!" said a voice out of nowhere.

I froze instantly, my skin beginning to crawl. "Did you hear that, or is it just me?"

"Hee hee, you didn't imagine it," said the voice again.

"Yeah, I can hear it, too," Reia said.

"Same here," Zuki said, an uneasy tone in her voice.

Just then, a bright light flashed in front of us, blinding all of us. Once the light died down, I was left staring, jaw pretty much on the ground, at the same onion-headed Pokémon I laughed at earlier.

Only in the picture, it was smiling. This Celebi had a pissed-off look on her face.

"How uncouth of you! To poke fun at my petite proportions!" Celebi said angrily.

"Gaah! Sorry," I said. "When I heard that you were guardian of this forest, I thought you were gonna be a giant, incredible beast of a Pokémon, not a little wood sprite."

"Roku…you're just BEGGING for an ass-kicking, aren't you?" Reia said, shaking her head.

"Hey, I didn't even think this Pokémon existed! Legendary Pokémon usually DO turn out to be just that: legends!"

"Actually," Zuki corrected. "Celebi is what we classify as a 'Mythical Pokémon'. They're far rarer and valuable. Team Prime would piss themselves if they ever captured a Mythical Pokemon."

"Whatever," I said. "But if Celebi here wants to pick a fight, then I'll more than oblige."

"I don't want to fight you, but if you keep making fun of me, I'll have no choice but to put you in your place!" Celebi shouted angrily.

I stared her down for a few minutes while also contemplating my situation. The Pokedex said that Celebi was a Grass- and Psychic-type Pokémon with considerable Attack and Special Attack, as well as decent Speed. Her move set included a wide variety of powerful moves, such as Future Sight and Leaf Storm, as well as the dreaded Perish Song. I finally decided not to take my chances.

"Listen, Celebi," I said, trying to reason with her. "I don't want to fight you either. So, I'm sorry. I guess I judged you a bit too soon."

"Hmm…alright. I forgive you," Celebi said. "I'm sorry I tried to start a fight. My mouth tends to get ahead of my brain at times."

I nodded. Celebi wasn't a bad Pokémon at all. In a sense, she was just like me.

"So, what brings you folks through the Ilex Forest?" Celebi asked, taking a perch on the tip of the shrine.

"We're heading to Ecruteak City," I said. "I'm meeting a friend there."

"Ah, a new recruit, huh?" Celebi asked.

"What…?" I said in awe. "How do you…?"

"Only a Legend Keeper would be able to understand me," she said. "That, and I could see your badges in your pockets."

"This is why I don't like Psychic-types," Zuki said, irritated. "They poke at you with their minds."

Just then, a Dusk Ball came flying in out of nowhere with a massive whoosh, kind of like the sound of a jet turbine firing up. It Caught Celebi in its rays, wiggled twice in midair, then hit the ground, wiggled one more time, and clicked.

"Celebi!" I shouted.

I then saw someone else jump up over the shrine and snatch the ball. He flipped past us and landed on his feet flawlessly.

"Heh, and Zareis said this Pokémon would be hard to catch," he snickered. "That was too easy!"

"Hey! What did you do to Celebi?" I said, standing up and going into a battle stance.

"Isn't it obvious, kid? She's mine, now," the guy said, turning around. Reia and Zuki gasped at the same time.

"Jay," they said together.

"Heh, looks like I'm already famous," he said cockily. "The bitches are already flowing in."

"Let Celebi go," I said slowly.

"HA! And some little runt is trying to say he's better than me!" Jay laughed. "Maybe I'll let her go if you can defeat me in a battle!"

"Are we talking, or are we fighting?!" I said, pulling out my Poke Ball.

"I'm gonna enjoy this," Jay said cruelly. "Go, Hydreigon!"

Jay threw out his Poke Ball, sending out an incredibly vicious Dragon-type Pokémon. I pulled up my Pokedex, because Hydreigon was unfamiliar to me.

"Hydreigon, the Brutal Pokémon, and the evolved form of Zweilous," the entry said. "The heads on their arms do not have brains. They use all three heads to consume and destroy everything."

"Yeesh…" I said nervously. Hydreigon was classified as a Dark- and Dragon-type Pokémon, which is a very vicious combination, and it specializes in fast attacks from both close and large quarters. The only Pokémon I had that would stand a chance against a Pokémon like this, and it was a very slim chance, was Riolu.

"Go, Riolu!" I shouted, sending out my only chance at victory.

"Heh…OK, I'll take it easy on you, squirt," Jay taunted. "Hydreigon, use Dragon Rush!"

"Riolu, use Counter!"

Hydreigon dashed forward with extreme speed, but just as he was about to make contact, Riolu blasted him back with a massive punch to the center head, knocking it back and dealing serious damage. It was a wonder in itself that Hydreigon was able to stay in the air after a powerful counterblow like that.

"OK, then! Hydreigon, use Dragon Pulse!" Jay shouted.

"Riolu, Foresight!"

Riolu narrowly dodged the beam of energy as it seared past, nearly catching the tip of his tail.

"Now, hit him with Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed forward with a loud battle cry, nailing Hydreigon in the face again, this time paralyzing him.

"Finish it! Force Palm!"

Riolu walked up and drew his palm back, saying, "You got served," before smashing him viciously in the face, knocking Hydreigon out.

"Yes! Well done, Riolu!" I shouted.

"Heh, a little too soon to be celebrating, isn't it?" Jay said cruelly, pulling out another Poke Ball.

"That's odd," Zuki said. "I thought Jay's only Pokémon was Hydreigon."

"Go, Giratina!" Jay shouted, throwing out the Poke Ball.

"Oh, shit…" Zuki said, a horrified look spreading across her face.

I hit the ground as the ball exploded and released a massive, horrifying Pokémon. The earth beneath me trembled as it hit the ground, and its roar was enough to send chills down my spine.

"Hahaha! Now you will be destroyed by the mighty power of the Distortion World!" Jay shouted. "Giratina, use Shadow Force!"

Giratina opened a strange portal and disappeared from reality. This gave me ample time to look it up in the Pokedex.

"Giratina, the Renegade Pokémon," the entry said. "It was banished for its violence. It silently gazes upon the old world from the Distortion World."

"Roku! Get out of there!" Zuki shouted. "You don't know what you're dealing with here!"

I clenched my teeth. A Legendary Pokémon of that size could easily destroy us. I decided to back down, but I was already too late.

"GAAAH!" Riolu screamed as Giratina struck him with a powerful attack from the portal. He hit the ground and lay still.

"No, Riolu!" I screamed, running up to him. Thankfully, he was still breathing, but he was seriously injured. I returned him to his Poke Ball and said, "OK, Jay. You win."

"Yeah, I know, but I ain't finished yet," Jay said. "Giratina! Destroy these fools!"

"NO!" I shouted.

"Go, Greninja!" said a voice from the treetops.

I looked up to see a blue streak fly at Giratina and slash it repeatedly, my mind recognizing this as Night Slash. I looked at the point of origin to see a Trainer dressed in a blue jacket and jeans with a red outdoor cap. He sported a P*DA on one wrist, and a strange looking bracelet on the other.

"What the…Calem, is that you?!" Reia shouted.

The Trainer looked at Reia and smiled. "Glad to see me, neighbor?"

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias paced in her den, seething with anger. The tale of the ultimate weapon was nothing more than a plan to put her to sleep so that Cedric could carry her back here.

She could feel her anger building up…

BAM!

Latias punched the wall of her den, leaving a decent-sized hole in the dirt. Her rage not yet subsided, she drilled at the wall repeatedly until she had extended it to the end of her virtual area. That's where she fell, crying.

"Why does he have to keep me here…?" she said to herself. "If he wants to protect me, then why does he imprison me like this…?"

"It's for your own protection," said a voice from behind her.

Latias turned around to see a badly scratched Cedric, standing there with the marks of her enraged assault dripping blood.

"You see, you and your brother are part of an even bigger picture, though you may not know it," Cedric explained. "This is why Team Prime wants you, and your brother, dead."

Latias' face soon became riddled with horror and confusion. "They want us…d-dead?"

Cedric sat down beside her, laying a soft arm on her back. Then he began to tell her of an ancient legend, one known only by the Legend Keepers and Team Prime themselves.

"It all started before the creation of this world…"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

"Giratina, Shadow Claw!"

"Greninja, use Mat Block!"

Giratina dashed forward with a vicious Shadow Claw, only to be blocked by a thick bubbly shield that Greninja had spawned up.

"Now, use Ice Beam!" Calem shouted.

Greninja sent forth an ice cold beam of energy that struck Giratina and froze it in its tracks.

"What the…?!" Jay said, horrified.

"Now!" Calem shouted, revealing an odd device on his arm. A Poke Ball spawned up on it, but this one was flashing brightly.

"Snag Ball, GO!" he shouted, lobbing the ball at Giratina. Jay tried to block it, but it exploded, dematerializing and catching Giratina in its rays and flying back to Calem before rematerializing back into its original shape.

It wobbled once…twice…three times…then, a click rang out, confirming a successful capture.

"NOOO!" Jay shouted, hitting the ground. "That was my only chance at making the boss proud!" Then, he remembered the Poke Ball on his belt.

"I've still got Celebi, though!" he shouted. "You may have won the battle, but you lost the war!"

"Greninja, Thief," Calem said calmly.

Greninja dashed forward with amazing speed and knocked into Jay, pummeling him to the ground and running back, Poke Ball in hand.

"What the…? What just happened?!" Jay said, flabbergasted.

I walked up and delivered a sharp blow to the back of Jay's head, knocking him out and silencing any other snide remarks he had to make. I looked back at Calem, who had sent out Celebi and was making sure that she was OK.

"Celebi! Are you alright?!" I said, running up to her.

"Yeah, I'm good," she said, stretching her back. "Not much fun being cramped up in a Poke Ball."

"Good," I said, sighing with relief. "The Poke Ball hasn't created any bonds between you and Jay. You should be fine as long as we destroy it."

"However," Calem said. "Since I was the first one to have sent her out, she has formed bonds with me."

Zuki nodded and said, "He's right. Celebi has to decide whether she'll stay with Calem or break the bonds, in which case we'd have to clear the area. Dusk Balls have a higher explosion rate than normal Poke Balls."

"So, what do you say, Celebi?" Calem said. "Are you going to travel with me, or are we gonna hit the dirt?"

Celebi thought long and hard about Calem's question. Eventually, she spoke.

"This forest and its Pokémon have relied on me to guard it for a very long time," Celebi said. "It was a tough decision…but I'll have to…"

All of us were already clearing the clearing, waiting for an explosion to ring out.

"You didn't even let me finish!" Celebi shouted. "I was going to say that I'll be traveling with you!"

Calem exited the tree he had climbed in for safety and said, "You mean…you'll come with me?"

"I want to do something for this world," Celebi said. "Saving the world is another way to protect this forest and its inhabitants. So I'll devote my entire life to achieve that end!"

I nodded in approval. Celebi really knew how to give a good speech.

"Then it's settled," Calem said. "You're my Legendary Partner. Let's make this work." He held out a hand. Celebi took it and gave it a firm shake.

"Alright, then!" I said. "Let's move on…to Goldenrod City!"

* * *

Author's Note: So, in case you readers hadn't noticed, part of the main plot was revealed in two ways. I'll leave you to your own inferences, cause I don't do spoilers.

Roku and the group will be traveling to Goldenrod City in the next installment, as well as saving another of the Kimono Girls. I think this next one is Naoko, but I'm not too sure. I should get back to HeartGold and play ahead so I can get the names and partners of the Kimono Girls.

Oh, and did anyone figure out the device that Calem was wielding? Players of the GameCube series of Pokémon would know this.

By the way: Does anyone have a particular song they listen to when they're kicking ass on a game? Mine would have to be Uprising by Instrumental Core or Monster by Skillet. Both are great songs and worth a listen.

That's it for this chapter. Strato Abyss signing out.


	13. Saviors

Chapter 13: Saviors

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

"So, Calem," I asked around the fire that night. "Where are you from?"

We had set up camp somewhere near the center of the forest (at least, I think so), and Calem's sudden appearance and amazing Pokémon really baffled me.

"I'm from the Kalos region, raised in Vaniville Town," Calem said. "Reia and I actually went on a journey together, alongside three other kids."

"Shauna, Tierno, and Trevor," Reia listed off. "I actually really miss those guys. How are they doing?"

"They're fine," Calem said. "Trevor's on the brink of completing the Pokedex because of the data supplied from the Legend Keeper database, Tierno's in Unova, performing professionally in Pokémon Musicals, and Shauna is still in Kalos, thinking about what she wants to do with the rest of her life."

"Wow," I said. From the data I received from the Pokedex, I knew that there were approximately 721 Pokémon that have been discovered. However, I knew that there were countless Pokémon out there that we had never seen before.

"I'm guessing you're also a Legend Keeper?" I asked.

"Calem is one of the few Legend Keepers who can use Mega Evolution," Zuki said.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Mega Evolution?"

"It's a form of evolution that brings out a Pokémon's unseen power," Reia explained. "Mega Evolution is a temporary evolution for certain Pokémon who were thought to be unable to evolve any further. Charizard, Gengar, and Lucario are a few examples of Pokémon who are capable of Mega Evolution."

"Really?" I said, thinking about Riolu. I gathered data from the Pokedex about Riolu and found its evolution, a Fighting- and Steel-type Pokémon called Lucario. But there wasn't anything in the Pokedex about it having a second evolution.

"How do you use Mega Evolution?" I asked.

"You need two things: a Mega item for the Trainer, and a Mega Stone for the Pokémon," Calem said. "Here, Reia, let's demonstrate, shall we? I'll let you use either my Lucario or my Absol. Take your pick."

"Hold on," I said, standing up. "I want to see if I can handle Mega Evolution."

Calem looked at Reia, who unsnapped her bracelet, and handed it to me.

"You'll need this," Reia said.

I looked at the bracelet. It was made of metal, with some intricate designs surrounding an odd rainbow-colored stone.

"That's a Mega Ring," Reia explained. "It's one of five Mega items that allows for Mega Evolution."

"Then take your pick: Lucario or Absol," Calem said.

"I'll choose Lucario, since I have experience with its descendant," I said. Calem tossed the Poke Ball to me, and we took our places.

"Go, Lucario!" I shouted.

"Go, Absol!" Calem yelled.

The Pokémon exploded out of their respective Poke Balls and took up battle stances.

"Mega Evolution requires a strong bond with Pokémon," Calem said. "The aura that we Legend Keepers control lets us Mega Evolve Pokémon without even owning them. Let's see if you can do the same."

Calem pumped his arm and touched the stone embedded in his Mega Ring, causing it and the Mega Stone Absol was holding to glow. Calem then thrust his arm upward, causing an explosion of light to shoot out of the ring and the Pokémon. I watched in awe as Absol was wrapped in a ball of light, and soon exploded, revealing a totally different Absol than the one that entered battle.

"What the-?!" I said, astounded. I fumbled for my P*DA to look at Absol's data.

"Absol, the Disaster Pokémon," the entry said. "Absol senses impending disasters and appears before humans to warn them. As a result, this Pokémon was mistaken as a harbinger of doom."

I flipped to the forms page and located Mega Absol. Calem's Absol originally had the ability Super Luck, but now it had Magic Bounce, as well as an increase in Attack, and major increases in Special Attack and Speed. It was truly a formidable Pokémon.

"You're not going to lose your nerve, are you, Trainer?" Calem's Lucario said as if he read my mind.

"Of course not!" I said, pumping my arm. "Let's do this!"

I touched the stone, which glowed brightly. I felt a huge power fall over me, and I thrust my arm up, causing Lucario to become enveloped in the same ball of light, exploding into Mega Lucario.

"Impressive," Calem said, smiling. "I think you've got what it takes to be a good Legend Keeper. But…it'd be a shame if we didn't finish this match."

"I hear you loud and clear, Calem," I said. "Lucario! Let's end this guy!"

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias looked at Cedric in horror. "Th-those Pokémon actually exist?!"

"Correct," Cedric said. "But they are not with us in this world. Their power was so great that the Light dragon banished the both of them to separate dimensions, only to emerge if one of them were to come back to this world."

Latias sat back, astonished. Why would Team Prime want to release an evil like that? She couldn't even fathom how much power they could have if they were successful. She shuddered to even think of what could happen.

"That's why I need you here, Latias," Cedric said. "You are our only hope. The only missing link is your brother, who we still have yet to find."

"Then let me go with Roku if he makes it in!" Latias shouted. "He's the only one who really understands me! Please, you have to let me!"

"I understand the bond you share with Roku," Cedric said. "And I respect it. But it's too risky to let you out there. If Roku can prove his strength to me, then I'll consider it."

"I didn't think you had any authority over who a Pokémon chooses as its partner," said a voice behind Cedric.

Cedric smiled and said, "Miki. What can I do for you?"

A Kimono Girl stormed into the den and said, "If Latias wants to be with this Roku character, then Arceus damn it, let her go! You're treating her like she's some sort of precious artifact, when she's really a living being like the rest of us! Are you really that thick?!"

Latias put a hand on her mouth. Miki literally just called the chief of the Legend Keepers stupid, and without even hesitating! From what Latias saw around the HQ, no one mouthed off to Cedric, not even the Champions!

_Miki must not have got the memo, _she thought to herself.

Latias could see that Cedric was seeing red. But he calmed himself down and said, "You're right. I'm not helping her by keeping her locked up in here. But I can't just let her run free; she could get captured. So, until Roku gets here and passes initiation, she stays here. Only then will I let her go with Roku."

Miki nodded and said, "Thank you." She did a polite curtsy and exited the room.

"Arceus damn that woman," Cedric cursed to himself. "She really knows how to persuade someone."

Cedric turned to Latias and said, "You heard the deal. Until Roku becomes a Legend Keeper, you stay here. However, you are free to roam the HQ as long as you don't wander into any restricted areas."

"I'll take that deal," Latias said happily, holding out a hand. Cedric was hesitant due to the experience he had with that hand's deadlier side, but he grabbed it and gave it a firm shake.

"Good," Latias said, moving past Cedric to go out of her room and check out the rest of the HQ.

_More like go off and gab with the rest of the Legendary Pokémon, _Cedric thought to himself.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

"OK, Lucario! Finish him with Aura Sphere!" I shouted.

Lucario flared up his aura and launched a blue ball of energy that honed in on Calem's Absol, striking her viciously and knocking her out indefinitely.

"Aw, yeah!" I shouted victoriously. "That's how we do it!"

Absol's Mega energy flowed back into Calem's Mega Ring, returning her to her original state. Calem returned her to the Poke Ball and, after I devolved Lucario, returned him to his ball.

"You seem to be a Trainer with considerable skill, even for one who started not even two weeks ago," Calem commended. "Not bad, considering you haven't been taught anything about what it means to be a Legend Keeper."

"Thanks!" I said. "I think…"

"We should get moving," Calem said, gathering his pack and telling Greninja to put out the fire. "The forest gets pretty dangerous at night. Wouldn't want to be attacked while we're sleeping."

Suddenly, we heard a very high-pitched scream. I looked in the direction it came from, sensing that it came from somewhere on the path.

"C'mon! Let's go check it out!" I said, gathering my belongings and running towards the source of the scream.

* * *

**Jay's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

Jay opened his eyes and looked around, not remembering what had happened. He felt for his Poke Balls, which he found on his belt, but only one presided there.

"Oh, shit…" he said to himself.

Jay stood up quickly and tossed the Poke Ball, releasing his exhausted Hydreigon.

"Arceus DAMN IT!" he shouted, so loudly that he scared a flock of Pidgey out of a nearby tree. It wasn't like Jay wasn't happy to see his partner; he was actually relieved to see that he was still here. He WAS pissed, however, that he lost the boss' gift to him. A very powerful Ghost- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon going by the name of Giratina. Right then, everything that had happened came flowing back to him. How that Trainer and his Greninja stole not one, but TWO of his Pokémon.

"Oh, man…Zareis' gonna be really sore about this…" he said, sitting on the ground with his head between his knees.

"Well, look who it is," he heard a very dark voice say behind him.

Jay shuddered, knowing who the voice belonged to. He could only manage the word "Dark" before he fell through the ground into darkness.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ilex Forest**

"Espeon! NO!"

We had reached the source of the scream. It was a Kimono Girl, trying to defend herself from a herd of angry Galvantula. Beside her, an Espeon lay there on the ground, gashes in her flank dripping blood.

"Galvantula?" Calem said. "But they're not usually found here. That's odd."

I pulled out my P*DA and looked up Galvantula in the Pokedex.

"Galvantula, the EleSpider Pokémon, and the evolved form of Joltik," the entry said. "Galvantula create an electrically charged barrier by spitting out multiple electric threads. This is used for defense, as well as trapping prey so that they can consume it at their leisure."

"Yecch…I always hated spiders," Reia said, shuddering. Zuki, on the other hand, was already beside her sister, trying to defend the injured Espeon.

"Naoko, are you OK?" Zuki said, trying to calm her down.

"Please! Get rid of these beasts!" Naoko said.

I threw out a Poke Ball, releasing Braixen from his virtual area.

"OK, Braixen! Use Ember!" I shouted.

Braixen drew the twig from the back of his tail and shot the fiery attack at the swarm, scorching the unsuspecting Galvantula. A few of them left at this notion. The remaining Galvantula shot their Electro Web attacks at Braixen, trapping him and dropping him to the ground.

"Nngh! Help me!" Braixen said, struggling. "I'm wrapped up like a Christmas present!"

"Use Flame Charge!" I said, knowing that Braixen could light himself on fire.

"If I could reach my twig, I could!" Braixen said desperately, reaching for his twig, which was just out of his reach. The Galvantula were closing in.

"Lyra, use Ember and get him out of there!" Reia shouted, sending her partner into the fray.

The Vulpix fired off many embers at the spider Pokémon, sending them scuttling back far enough to burn the web off of Braixen.

"Thanks," Braixen said, rolling over and retrieving his twig.

"No problem," Lyra said.

"Oh, no. Take cover!" Braixen said, tackling Lyra out of the way of a deadly Thunderbolt attack. They rolled away from the Galvantula, eventually stopping with Braixen on top of Lyra.

For a few minutes, Lyra and Braixen were staring at each other.

"Thanks…" Lyra said quietly, a starstruck look in her eyes.

"No problem," Braixen replied. "Just repaying the favor."

I rolled my eyes and said, "Hey, Braixen! Get your head in the game! We've got spiders to roast!"

"'Scuse me," Braixen said cockily, rolling off of Lyra and blasting off with a Flame Charge, bowling through the remaining Galvantula and sending them scurrying back to their hidey holes.

"Aw, yeah! Strike!" Braixen shouted, spinning his twig before shoving it back into his tail.

I ran over to Naoko, who was holding her Espeon and crying softly. Her breathing was very shallow, and a purple ooze coming from the three gashes on her flank suggested that she had also been poisoned.

"We need an Antidote, now!" I said. Reia dug around in her bag until she found one and handed it to me. Not wasting any time, I uncapped it and applied it to the wound.

"This should help a little bit, but we'll need to get to the Pokémon Center," I suggested. I looked over at Naoko and said, "Are you OK to move?"

"I-I'm fine," she said, slowly getting to her feet. "We have to move."

I nodded and picked Espeon up off the ground as gently as I could and marched forward. Luckily, after a few minutes of trudging along the path, I began to see the light coming from the gate to the road leading to Goldenrod City.

"Great! We're nearly there!" I said. "Keep moving!"

"Hold on," Calem said, his P*DA map pulled up. "There's a Day Care located near the edge of the city. It'll be much closer."

"Then let's go!" I said, continuing my march.

Luna stepped up and kept pace with me, trying to keep Espeon comforted. It was amazing that she was even still conscious.

"Don't worry, Espeon," Luna said softly. "We'll get you patched up good as new. It'll be OK."

Espeon opened her eyes, even struggling to do that. She said, in a barely audible whisper, "Thank you…" before she passed out.

Noticing that Espeon had become dead weight, I sped up my pace and didn't stop until I had reached the Day Care. I sent out Pidgey and told him to fly in through their bedroom window, which was conveniently open, and rouse them so we could get help. Pidgey nodded and flew into their bedroom.

Soon, I heard the sound of glass breaking and the muffled cursing of an old man. Pidgey came flying out of their door, with the old man carrying a baseball bat.

"Get back here, you annoying little shit!" he cursed. Then he saw us and put the bat behind his back.

"Sorry about my little friend, but we needed your help," I said, returning a very amused Pidgey to his Poke Ball. 'This lady's Espeon got into it with a swarm of Galvantula, and was seriously injured."

The man took one look at the injured Espeon, then rushed us inside, saying, "Set her on the table!"

I nodded and lay Espeon on the dinner table. The man brought out his emergency kit and told us to leave while he worked. As much as I didn't want to, I headed into their living room and took a seat on their couch.

"I hope she's OK," Naoko said worriedly, the tears streaming down her face.

"Don't worry, Naoko," Zuki said, trying to comfort her distraught sister. "Espeon will be fine."

I knew how Naoko felt. If one of my partners was in danger, I'd be crying as well. I looked at Luna, who was asleep on my lap, rings glowing softly in the dim light, and I thought, _I hope we don't get in a situation like this, partner._ I hugged her softly and thought, _I don't know what I would do…_

* * *

Author's Note: I think that was the longest chapter I've ever written. It may be because I used a different font and size this time, but it felt like a long time.

Anyway, finally got the names of the Kimono Girls! YAAAAAY! Now I just gotta remember where they appear so I can at least keep that part of the story intact. That means I'll have to progress through HeartGold to the part where you fight all five of them in a row. I remember that they reveal the locations you saw them at, so I'll have to record those as well.

That's it for this chapter. Strato Abyss signing out.


	14. The Big City

Chapter 14: The Big City

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Pokémon Day Care**

We waited a couple of days at the Day Care to make sure that Espeon was going to be OK. I was pretty impressed with the Day Care man; he definitely should've been a doctor. Espeon was feeling better and battle-ready in just a couple of days.

"Thank you so much," Naoko said to the Day Care man. Then she turned to us and said, "And I must also extend my thanks to you. If you hadn't got there when you did, Espeon would've…"

I saw a tear roll down Naoko's face. Suddenly, she ran to me and hugged me.

"Thank you, Roku," she said.

"It's no problem, Naoko," I said, hugging her back. "Happy to help."

Naoko let me go, and she and the Day Care lady went off into the city to catch the next train to Ecruteak City. I decided to stay back and get some training in for the next Gym Battle. The Day Care man warned me of Whitney's deceptively cute act and her powerful Miltank, and he offered to help me train for that battle.

"Let's go out into the main yard," the Day Care man said, directing me into the pen. I followed him in, and he sent out his Miltank.

Now, personally, I already had a strategy. Miltank is a Normal-type Pokémon who is notorious for its Rollout attack, which'll pretty much decimate any Pokémon who isn't prepared for it. I decided to assign Riolu to the task of butchering the cow.

"Go, Riolu!" I shouted, releasing him from the Poke Ball.

"OK, Miltank!" the Day Care man shouted. "Use Rollout!"

Miltank took a few steps back before curling into a big rolling ball of beef and fat. I told Riolu to use Foresight, and once he dodged the Rollout, I ordered him to follow up with Force Palm. The Day Care man's Pokémon took serious damage, but since Miltank was pretty much a tank, she was still up and raring to go.

"Go again! Rollout!" the Day Care man ordered.

Right then, I decided to try something different.

"Riolu, use Counter!" I shouted.

Miltank almost made direct contact until Riolu bashed her with a powerful counter blow, sending her sprawling back to the other side of the field. However, she still got back up, though she was breathing heavily.

"Miltank, Milk Drink!" the Day Care man ordered.

Miltank's injuries instantly faded as it absorbed the nutrients of its own milk. I shook my head in disbelief and said, "This is gonna be a long day."

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias retreated back a ways. The Pokémon she had angered was none other than the Lava Dome Pokémon, Heatran, and she was at a serious disadvantage.

"But I've got to win!" she said. She dashed at Heatran again, nailing him with a point-blank Dragon Breath that would send anyone staggering. Heatran stumbled back, giving Latias ample time to use Recover and heal her wounds.

"OK, Heatran! Use Gyro Ball!" his Trainer ordered.

Heatran spun rapidly and flew at Latias, who dodged nimbly and launched a Mist Ball at the spinning mass, completing the battle and sealing victory.

"Aw, man! I can't believe it!" the Legend Keeper complained, returning the fainted Legendary Pokémon to his virtual area. "You're one tough cookie, Latias. I'd be honored to have you as my partner."

"I'm grateful for the offer, but I've already chose my partner," Latias said. "Sorry."

"Damn," the Legend Keeper said sadly. "Well, whoever they are, they're pretty lucky."

"Heh, they should be," Latias said. She nodded and went back to her room.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Pokémon Day Care**

Luna was breathing heavily, about to collapse. However, she knew that she had to perfect this strategy in the case that Riolu got knocked out.

"Miltank, use Rollout!" the Day Care man shouted.

Miltank barreled forward, but Luna dodged flawlessly and launched a Swift attack, taking Miltank down for the count.

"Yes! We did it!" Luna shouted victoriously.

I, on the other hand, was puzzled. "Why didn't Miltank heal herself?" I asked.

"She knows that you are ready to fight Whitney," the Day Care man said. "Only then would she give up."

The Day Care man returned the fallen Miltank to her Poke Ball.

"You know, only a certain group would know how a Pokémon feels like you do," I said suspiciously. "You used to be a Legend Keeper, didn't you?"

The Day Care man laughed and said, "You assume too much, young Roku. Granted, I do know about the Legend Keepers, but I never was one. My granddaughter Krysta, however, is a Legend Keeper. She's currently on the trail of a Legendary Pokémon going by the name of Suicune. Does that ring a bell?"

"Yeah, he's one of the three Legendary Beast Pokémon," I said. "Suicune is the embodiment of the North Wind, and has the power to instantly purify water."

_Thank Arceus for the invention of the Pokedex, _I thought to myself.

"Well, now I have reason to believe that you yourself might be a Legend Keeper," the Day Care man said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Soon to be, if he can pass initiation," Zuki said, resting with her Umbreon.

"Really," the Day care man said. "So that's why you're traveling this far."

"Well, that's part of the reason," I said. "I'm going to meet a friend over there."

"I see. Well, I believe you'll make a fine Legend Keeper," the Day Care man said. "I wish you luck on your journey as well as your next Gym Battle."

"I guess that means we'll be taking our leave," I said, looking at Reia and Zuki. "Let's head out."

I gathered my things and said goodbye to the Day Care couple before walking off to the skyline of Goldenrod City.

* * *

**Jay's P.O.V.**

**Team Prime Base**

Jay woke up with a start, finding himself staring into the cold eyes of the boss himself.

"Well, now, Jay," Zareis said with a wicked smile. "What happened out there, hmm?"

"I-I'm sorry, boss," Jay said, knowing it was futile to think the boss would forgive him.

"No apologies! Tell me what happened!" Zareis said, his voice rising.

"Well, I went and captured one of the Pokémon of the Core, like you asked me to," Jay explained shakily. "But then this kid challenged me to a battle. I sent his ass packing, and was about to finish them off, until this other Trainer flew out of the treetops and…" He gulped at this moment.

"Go on," Zareis said.

"Well, he stole Giratina, as well as Celebi," Jay continued. "He used some strange device to break the bond between Giratina and I, and he caught it. Then he just jacked the Poke Ball that had Celebi in it. The only thing I remember after that is Darkrai putting me to sleep."

"I see," Zareis said, standing up straight. "Well, it seems that the Legend Keepers have somehow gotten hold of a Snag Machine. Very peculiar indeed."

Jay gulped again and said, "What're you gonna do with me?"

Zareis turned to Jay and said, "Well, I'm going to send you and the rest of the team on a rescue mission. You're going to get your Pokémon back, and you're going to swear not to come back without it. Understood?"

Jay nodded and said, "Yes, boss! I swear that I won't come back empty-handed!"

"Good," Zareis said in approval. "Darkrai, cut him loose."

Jay then noticed that he was bound to the very seat he was sitting in. Darkrai reluctantly cut the ropes that bound him, and Jay sprang up and ran out of the room before Zareis had a chance to change his mind.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City**

We had finally arrived at Goldenrod City after a few hours' walk. Night had fallen during this time, and we were thankful that the city was bright enough to find our way to the Pokémon Center. We stepped in, let Nurse Joy take care of our Pokémon, and Zuki hit the sack while Reia and I talked over some battle strategies. Reia was smart enough to pay attention to my day-long training session, so she knew what to do.

"Our only problem is experience," I said. "Whitney's Miltank could very well be stronger than the Day Care man's. Every possibility counts."

"You really want to win this Badge, don't you?" Reia said, smiling.

"What kind of stupid question is that?" I laughed. "Of course I want to win this Badge. Don't you?"

"Yeah, guess you're right," Reia said, correcting herself. "We also need to worry about secondary typings, 'cause I received some intel that Whitney also uses Fairy-type Pokémon."

I cocked my eyebrow. Fairy-type Pokémon were nasty pieces of work. I had read about the newly discovered type over the internet. This totally retyped a lot of previously discovered Pokémon, such as Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Snubbull, as well as their evolutionary counterparts. Fairy-type moves are strong against Fighting-, Ghost-, and Dragon-type Pokémon, and are weak to Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-type Pokémon. Incidentally, Fairy-type Pokémon are weak against Poison- and Steel-type moves, strong against Fighting-, Bug-, and Dark-type moves, and are completely unaffected by Dragon-type moves.

Thankfully, we didn't have any Dragons on our team. But we did have Riolu to worry about. If there was a Fairy-type Pokémon on the field at the same time as Riolu, we'd be in serious trouble.

"Same goes with Luna," Reia said as I explained this to her. "She'd be weak to Fairy-type moves. I wouldn't doubt that, because of the change in Pokémon distribution, they'd own a few Pokémon from other regions, maybe even Kalos."

I shuddered at the thought. I had no idea about how to handle Pokémon who weren't originally from Johto, except maybe Riolu and Braixen.

Then I got an idea.

"That's it!" I said, having a total "eureka" moment. "Fairy-types can't do much against Fire-types, right?"

"Yeah, but we still have to worry about Miltank's Rollout," Reia said. "Last I knew, Fire was weak to Rock."

"That's why we only have one Fire-type on the field when Whitney brings out her Miltank," I explained. "Riolu and I will worry about that when the time comes. Until then, we should have Braixen and Lyra on the same field. Those fairies won't be able to take the heat!"

"I hope you're right about that, Roku," Reia said. "We have to win this battle."

I put a hand on Reia's shoulder and said, "We will win. All you gotta do is trust me."

Reia put her hand on mine and said, "I already trust you." Then her eyes flared up with determination. "We're gonna mop the stadium floor with her tomorrow!"

"That's the spirit!" I said. "Now, let's get some sleep. We'll need our energy for tomorrow."

Just then, we heard a commotion coming from outside the Pokémon Center.

"Looks like sleep will have to wait," Reia said. "C'mon, let's see what's going on out there."

I nodded and followed Reia out of the Pokémon Center.

* * *

**Darius' P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City**

Darius took shelter in an alley near the Pokémon Center. As he was entering the city, he nearly got caught by a mall cop who was patrolling the area. He barely managed to escape him and his Growlithe.

"Man…I hate the fuzz, just about as much as I hate that goody two-shoes Roku," he said to himself.

Darius was still steaming. He'd defeated every Trainer he'd encountered, as well as any who were stupid enough to challenge him. Everyone except Roku. How can someone be the world's strongest Trainer if he can't even defeat one stupid weakling? What did Roku have that he didn't?

"Doesn't matter," he said to himself. "I'll get my revenge. One of these days, I'm gonna pulverize that bastard, as well as that little bitch he rolls with. They're gonna feel my wrath."

* * *

Author's Note: I'm gonna pull out here. I'm kinda running out of inspiration, but I'll probably be fired up again once I get Roku's initiation over. That's when this story's gonna hit the nitrous.

I was listening to "Rockstar" by Nickelback while writing this, and all I could think about was Roku walking out of the Pokémon League with a Championship title and a bunch of hoes surrounding him. Vision from the future? Maybe. You'll have to read on to find out.

And with that, another chapter reaches its end. Strato Abyss signing out.


	15. The Brown Furball

Chapter 15: The Brown Furball

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City**

We ran outside into the main street to find a couple of Team Prime Grunts hassling a guy with messy brown hair and a purple polo shirt with khakis. "Computer Nerd" instantly went through my head.

"You heard us! Tell us everything you know about the Legendary Bird Pokémon!" one of them shouted.

"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about!" the guy said, sweat rolling down his face.

"Then I guess we'll just hafta beat it outta you!" the larger one said, raising a fist.

"Hey!" I shouted, making my presence known by not only the grunts, but the entire crowd. "Let him go, or you're gonna hafta deal with me!"

"You! You're that kid from Violet!" the larger one said, pulling out his Poke Ball. "I knew I was gonna get my revenge! Prepare to get creamed!"

I nodded at Luna, who stepped forward and went into a battle stance.

"I'm gonna make you wish you'd never crossed Team Prime's path!" the grunt shouted. "Go, Mightyena!"

The grunt threw out his Poke Ball, releasing a much larger wolf than the one he used before.

"So, you evolved it," I said coolly. "Good for you. But, as you may have noticed, this isn't the Luna you fought before, either. Use Quick Attack!"

Luna dashed forward with mind-numbing speed and struck Mightyena hard, sending him reeling back.

"Now, Mightyena! Use Work Up!"

Mightyena started to flare up with energy, increasing its offensive capabilities. I couldn't take any chances, so I told Luna to keep her distance and use Swift. The star rays slammed into Mightyena, but he wasn't down yet. In fact, he looked even more pissed off.

"Go, use Crunch!" the grunt shouted.

I winced. Crunch was a Dark-type move, which meant it wouldn't do as much as it normally would to Luna, but it was still a devastating move. It could possibly lower the defensive rating of the target, and coupled with Mightyena's raised Attack, it would do considerable damage.

"Luna! Stay away from him as best you can!" I shouted. "Use Confuse Ray!"

Luna shot an eerie light from the ring on her forehead into Mightyena's eyes, making him trip and drop to the ground.

"Haha, have a nice trip, see you next fall!" Luna laughed.

"Keep your guard up, Luna!" I said. "We don't have time to be cocky."

Luna looked at me and said, "We NEVER have time to be cocky!"

"Doesn't matter! We have to end this now!" I said. "Finish him with Swift!"

A final Swift attack left Mightyena unconscious and unable to move. The grunt's jaw hit the ground, surprised that Luna could destroy a Pokémon like Mightyena with ease.

"Dammit…take care of him!" the larger grunt said to the smaller grunt. He stepped forward after the larger one returned his fainted Mightyena and sent out a Fearow.

"Luna, switch out!" I said. Luna dropped back, and I pulled out my next Poke Ball.

"Go, Braixen!" I shouted, lobbing it onto the field and releasing my fox Pokémon.

"Fearow! Use Drill Peck!" the grunt shouted. Fearow spun forward like a drill, beak outstretched.

"Braixen! Meet it head-on with Flame Charge!" I shouted.

Braixen looked at me and said, "Are you NUTS?! He'll stick me like a shish-ka-bub!"

"Just do it! I know what I'm doing!" I said.

Braixen shook his head and flared himself up, launching at the incoming Fearow. Just before they made contact, I told Braixen to dodge to the side and use his newest attack, Psybeam. Braixen narrowly dodged Fearow's massive beak and pulled his twig out of his tail, launching a purple, pulsating beam out of it and hitting Fearow right in the back of the head. Fearow hit the ground and slid nearly 5 feet.

"Now's your chance, Braixen!" I shouted. "Flame Charge, GO!"

Braixen flared up and blasted off again, smashing into Fearow and finishing the job.

"Aw, come ON!" the smaller grunt said in disbelief, returning his Fearow. "Why do we keep losing to nobodies like you?!"

"Well, for starters, you two are self-centered and overconfident," I said as Braixen walked back to me. "You care too much about winning rather than your Pokémon."

"Uh…what, whatever," the big grunt said. "We're outta here!"

The two grunts nearly hightailed it out of Goldenrod until a police guard and his Growlithe set upon them and subdued them.

"Well, you're not exactly who I'm looking for, but I'll be content with bringing you two in," the guard said. Then he turned to me and said, "Good job, kid. It takes guts to stand up to crooks like these."

"No problem, officer," I said.

"You are such a goody-goody, you know that?" Luna said while rolling her eyes.

"Whoa! Is that a SHINY Umbreon?!"

I whirled around to see the nerd we saved earlier run up to us, his eyes on Luna. He knelt down and looked her over.

"Wow! I've never seen one in real life!" he said excitedly. Then he looked at me and said, "This is your Umbreon, am I right?"

"Uh, yeah," I said. "This is Luna."

"'Sup?" Luna said.

"That's just awesome," the guy said. "I've only seen them in pictures. I've never actually got to see one up close." He stood up and held out a hand. "I'm Bill. And you are?"

"Roku Kimura," I said, shaking his hand. "These are my friends Reia and Zuki."

"Hi," Reia said casually.

"Nice to meet you folks," Bill said. "Hey, you guys are Pokémon Trainers. How would you like to help me out?"

"Like how?" I asked.

Bill pulled a Poke Ball from his pocket and tossed it in the air, releasing a brown ball of fur that I was all too familiar with.

"This Eevee came over while I was adjusting the Global Trade system that my buddy Cassius created. I'd like to find a Trainer who can take care of it, 'cause I don't like to be outside much. Can I count on one of you to play with it?"

I looked at Reia and said, "Do you want it?"

"Really?" Reia said. "You're not taking it?"

"Well, you haven't caught any Pokémon since we started together," I said. "And I figure that since we're going up against a Gym Leader tomorrow, we'll need all the help we can get. Strength in numbers."

Reia nodded and accepted the Poke Ball from Bill.

"Haha, way to go! You guys are the real deal!" Bill said excitedly. "Take good care of it. I'm counting on you!"

Reia nodded, and we gave our farewells to Bill, who said he had to go check in with his relatives. With a night of excitement over and done, we retired to the Pokémon Center for a night of rest.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias lay in her den, resting from the fierce battle she had today. Just then, a hologram image of Cedric shimmered into view.

"Latias, I need to see you immediately," the hologram said.

The hologram disappeared before Latias got a chance to ask what was up. She simply shrugged her shoulders and made her way to Cedric's quarters, where he was standing with his arms behind his back in traditional manner.

"What's up?" she asked, somewhat nervous.

Cedric turned around, and Latias could tell that something was wrong due to the expression on his face.

"You're not going to like this," he said. He linked his P*DA to his computer via USB and pulled up a video file. Cedric launched the file and extended it onto the wall screen.

"Hahaha! Hello, Cedric!" said a voice that they knew all too well. "And I hope Latias is watching this as well, because I have something for her. Let us see what's behind curtain number one!"

Zareis pulled a black sheet off of a cage, revealing a Pokémon that made Latias' heart drop into her stomach.

"Latios, the second Pokémon of the Eon Duo!" Zareis said cruelly. "The funny thing is, he thought that we had captured his sister, and so he came in to rescue her. It's weird, how emotion can lead to one's downfall."

"Grrgh! Let me go, you bastard!" Latios shouted, slamming into the wall of the cage.

"Whoa! Quite the temper you have, my little friend," Zareis said with glee. "Now, Cedric, you know what I want in return. For starters, I want my precious Giratina back. You know, the one that one of your Legend Keepers stole from me. And I also want the Pokémon of the Core Covenant that I know you have in your possession. If neither one of them fall into my arms, I will kill Latios and come after Latias next. You can count on that."

"Latias!" Latios shouted. "If you're seeing this, I'll be fine! Don't worry about me! Don't give in!"

"That's enough out of you!" said a black creature from behind the cage. Its eyes glowed for a few seconds, and Latias dropped to the floor of the cage, fast asleep.

"You've heard my demands, Cedric," Zareis said. "If I don't get what I want, then you know what'll happen next."

That's where the file cut off.

Latias was going through a storm of various emotions. She was happy that her brother was alive, but she was also afraid for his life. And for hers as well.

"What do we do?" Latias said after a long silence.

"Well, we have three choices," Cedric started. "One, we relinquish the Pokémon of the Core Covenant that we currently have in our possession, as well as the final Pokémon needed for the Dark Covenant. Zareis unleashes the force of a thousand black holes on the world and we die. Two, we ignore his request, and he takes them from us as well as killing both you and your brother. Zareis unleashes the force of a thousand black holes on the world and we STILL die."

"And what's behind door number three?" Latias asked, sick and tired of hearing so much talk about death.

"Three," Cedric said, pausing. "…We mount a rescue mission, where we have a 50% chance of survival. We get the Pokémon of the Core Covenant and fight back at Zareis."

"I think I prefer option number three," Latias said. "One condition. Roku and Reia must be on the mission, in the event that I go with them. I'm not accepting no for an answer, and I will not go with anyone else."

Cedric shook his head and said, "I understand where you're coming from, Latias. But sending two pretty much untrained Legend Keepers behind enemy lines is something I cannot risk. We'll have to wait until Roku becomes more skilled."

Latias nodded. Her emotions were also clouding her judgment. She wasn't just talking about risking the lives of her and her brother, but she was also talking about risking the life of her best friend; someone she didn't want to lose.

"I understand," Latias said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Latias," Cedric said, putting a hand softly on her shoulder. "I know how much you want to save your brother. But I also want to save my fellow Legend Keepers."

"I get it," Latias said. "I'm retiring to my chambers. I need to rest after destroying that kid and his Heatran."

"Wait, you did what?" Cedric said, crossing his arms.

"Uh…nothing," Latias said coyly, darting out of Cedric's office.

"Hahh…she never ceases to surprise me," Cedric sighed, retiring to his chambers as well.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City**

We stood in front of the Gym after a long day of seeing the sights. Reia and I had taken on the Goldenrod City Underground, and even groomed our partners to make them look nice for the Gym battle. After that, we took a quiz at the Radio Tower in order to win a Radio Card, so now our P*DA's could double as radios.

"OK, Luna," I said. "I'm gonna have to ask that you stay out of this one."

"What?!" Luna cried, looking up at me with a surprised look on her face. "But I always go with you!"

"I know, and this hurts me about as much as it hurts you," I said, kneeling down. "But Reia and I have a strategy, and since Fairy-types might be involved, you'll be at a serious disadvantage."

Luna looked down and nodded slowly.

"Hey," I said, trying to cheer her up. "That's not the Luna I know. You're gonna lead the next Gym battle, OK?"

Luna nodded and said, "You got it! I'll make you proud!"

I hugged her and said, "You already make me proud. I'm lucky to have a partner like you."

Just then, we heard a massive explosion ring out from inside the Gym. Reia and I opened the doors to see a massive side of beef slammed into the wall.

"No! Miltank!" a pink-haired girl shouted, who I assumed was Whitney. The description that one of the nerds in the Underground gave me was spot on. She had hot pink hair that was set in a slight bob, and hot-pink lipstick. She definitely had a set of hips on her, which I guess was to add to the whole cute look.

Anyway, I instantly felt rage well up inside me once I saw who did such a horrible thing to Whitney's Miltank.

"Wow, you're really strong," Whitney said in disbelief.

"Shut the fuck up and give me the Badge," Darius snapped. "I don't have time to deal with girly-girls."

Whitney was dumb-struck. She handed him the Badge, and Darius stormed towards the door while Whitney looked like she was about to cry.

"Hey, what the hell's your problem, dude?!" I said, standing in front of him.

"Get out of my way before I beat the living shit out of you," Darius said aggressively.

I pulled up my sleeves and balled my fists. But Reia grabbed my arm and said, "Roku! Save it for later! He's not worth it!"

"Yeah, Roku, you'd better listen to your girlfriend," Darius sneered.

Reia wasn't quite strong enough to hold me back. After I landed a sharp right cross to Darius' face, it not only took her, but Zuki, Calem, and Luna to stop me from beating the crap out of him. Darius stood up and wiped the blood off of his lip, and he shoved past me, heading to the Pokémon Center.

"I swear, that guy's gonna get his ass kicked one of these days," I said, shaking loose from the grip my friends had on me. "And I hope it's me who gives it to him."

"Roku, rage never solved anything," Zuki said, trying to calm me down. "You will get your chance, but now's not the time."

I nodded and felt the rage leave my body, being replaced by pure energy.

I was all fired up for the next Gym battle.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm gonna carry the Gym Battle into the next chapter. Gotta give Whitney time to recover from a devastating loss.

This chapter, as well as the rivals from the first two Pokémon generations, makes me wish that Game Freak would bring back the whole "dickhead rival" bit. I loved the way the rivals treated your character in the first games, 'cause it made the taste of victory even sweeter once you kicked their ass. We want more haters!

Anyway, that's it for this installment. Strato Abyss signing out.

P.S.: Mega Rayquaza confirmed! Now I REALLY want Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire! I happen to have a legit shiny Rayquaza, and I can't wait to see how badass it's gonna look. Mega Rayquaza for the win!


	16. The Truth About Fairies

Chapter 16: The Truth About Fairies

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City Gym**

I walked up to Whitney, who was crying softly, and said, "Are you going to be OK?"

Whitney stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'll be OK. I've just…never seen anyone battle like that."

"Just ignore him," I said. "You should get some rest. You've got another challenge coming up."

"Say what?" Whitney said. "Oh! I didn't know you two were going to challenge me! But, I'm going to have to ask you to come back tomorrow. I don't think I can battle in this kind of state."

"I understand," I said. "I'll wait until tomorrow, OK?"

With that out of the way, me, Reia, and the rest of the group made our way back to the Pokémon Center to rest for the day. But I still had energy to burn. So, after I told Reia that I was going out to let off some steam, she offered to come with me, and we made our way onto Route 34 for some late-night training.

"OK! So, what are we going to do?" Reia asked me.

"We'll have to train up that new Eevee of yours," I said. "So, let's pit it against Luna and see what we have to work with."

"OK," Reia said, pulling out Eevee's Poke Ball. "Go, Eevee!"

The Poke Ball burst open, and all I could see was a brown streak of fur as Eevee immediately went for a Quick Attack, which suggested that he was pretty well-trained to begin with.

"Whoa! Incoming!" Luna shouted, using her own Quick Attack to dodge out of the way. "What the hell are you trying to pull?!"

"You wanted to fight, so I'm fighting!" Eevee said.

"You're supposed to follow my lead!' Reia said. "That's what a Pokémon Battle consists of!"

"Whatever," Eevee scoffed. "I'm here to kick ass and take names. And I intend to do so!"

My eyes went wide. This Eevee was definitely aggressive and confident, which suggested a brave nature. This Eevee was going to be an attack powerhouse, if anything.

"OK, then! I'll give you a fight!" Luna shouted, launching her Swift attack. Eevee let loose with his own Swift, smashing the rays that Luna fired off and nullifying the attack. But Luna came flying in with a Quick Attack and sent Eevee sprawling back.

"How do you like me now?!" Luna shouted cockily.

Eevee shook his head and dashed forward with his own Quick Attack. Luna blasted forward as well, not wanting to give up against this disrespectful excuse of a Pokémon.

"I'm not backing down!" Eevee shouted.

"Neither am I!" Luna shot back.

The two Pokémon collided furiously and sent up a massive plume of dirt. Once the dust cleared, only Luna was still standing.

"Huff…huff…" Luna breathed heavily. "Let's not do that again, OK?"

Eevee slowly and shakily rose to his feet and said, "Agreed."

The rest of the night was spent training up Reia's Eevee to deal with the strategy that Whitney has up her sleeve. By the time the sun rose, we were still training. Right then, I got a call from Whitney.

"Hey, what's up?" I said as her hologram shimmered into view.

"I'm ready for a Gym Battle, that's what's up!" Whitney said with a smile. "Come by whenever you're ready!"

"Cool," I said. "Oh, and FYI: Both my friend Reia and I will be taking you on, so you'll be battling with a partner."

"Oh, OK! I like a little change of pace!" Whitney said happily. "I'll see you later!"

Whitney hung up, and I looked at Reia with a cocked eyebrow.

"She seems a little too happy-go-lucky," Reia said. "It's kind of wigging me out."

"All part of the deceptively cute act," I said. "Don't let it get to your head; that's exactly what she wants."

"I should be saying that to you," Reia shot back. "She is a girl, and a rather cute one at that…"

"Oy, now that's just stereotypical!" I said, smiling. "Just because I'm a guy does not mean I'm attracted to any girl wearing a pair of jorts that hugs her hips!"

"So you DID notice them," Reia said, smiling.

"How can you not?" I asked. "They stick out like a sore thumb."

* * *

Later that day, we reached the Gym after taking a rest at the Pokémon Center. I knew that we were ready as soon as we walked through the door.

"Hi, you're just in time!" Whitney said. "Ready for a beating?"

"I'm ready to dish one out, if that's what you mean," I retorted.

We took our places on the field. The bigger guy, who I later learned his name was Stan, showed up with a mic and said, "This is a two-on-two Double Battle! Only the challengers can substitute Pokémon! Battle Begin!"

"Go, Clefairy!" The girls said in unison. The two small Fairy-types entered the field.

"Go, Lyra!" Reia shouted.

"Go, Braixen!" I shouted.

Our two fire foxes entered the battlefield, ready to fry some Fairies.

"Let's go! Ember!" We shouted together.

Lyra and Braixen shot off their fiery attacks with more intensity than before due to our late-night training session. The girls launched a Fairy Wind attack, but that only increased the intensity of the flames and did more damage.

"We're not out of this yet!" Whitney shouted. "Clefairy, use Attract!"

The first thought that went through my head was _Oh, shit._ Braixen was a guy, so Attract would cause him to fall in love with Clefairy. I had to do something fast or I was going to regret it later.

"Braixen! Get out of there!" I said.

I was too late, however. Braixen's eyes turned lovey-dovey, and that pretty much ruined any chance I had at fighting back.

"Damn…come back, ya sucker," I said, returning the infatuated Pokémon to his Poke Ball. I had no other choice but to send Riolu in.

"Go, Riolu!" I shouted, releasing Riolu onto the battlefield.

"Now, Clefairy! Use Fairy Wind!" Whitney's partner shouted.

Clefairy flapped its wings and shot a sparkly burst of air at Riolu, who dodged it barely thanks to Foresight. Lyra fired off one last Ember attack, bringing the girl's Clefairy down. With that threat out of the way, I brought Riolu back in and sent Braixen back onto the field. The girl brought out her last Pokémon, a Snubbull.

"Reia, get Whitney!" I said. "I'll take Snubbull!"

"Got it! Lyra, use Ember!" Reia shouted.

"Braixen, Flame Charge that Snubbull!" I shouted.

Lyra shot off another Ember attack, this time leaving a massive burn mark on the Clefairy's skin. Braixen blasted forward with a Flame Charge, which dealt a fairly good amount of damage to the small Pokémon.

"Not yet!" the girl yelled. "Snubbull, use Bite!"

Snubbull latched onto Braixen as he was jumping back, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Hey! Get the hell off me!" Braixen shouted, shaking his leg. "Lyra, a little help here!"

Lyra nodded and smacked the Snubbull off of Braixen's leg with a Quick Attack, knocking it out. With one chance left, I ordered Braixen to use Flame Charge, taking the Clefairy out.

Now all that was left was the biggest threat: Whitney's Miltank.

I shuddered as the massive cow Pokémon exploded onto the field, ready for battle. Reia and I returned our Pokémon and sent out Riolu and Eevee.

"Ok, Miltank! Use Rollout!" Whitney shouted.

I saw a gleam in Riolu's eye that told me he knew what to do. Whitney's Miltank rolled forward, only to be smashed by a powerful Force Palm, sending it flying back. However, the Miltank kept going, being smashed by an even more powerful Counter attack. Once she landed, Miltank was on the verge of fainting.

"OK, Riolu!" I shouted. "Let Eevee take the field on this one!"

"Got it," Riolu said, backing off. Eevee was ordered to use Swift, but not until after Miltank was using Milk Drink to restore her HP.

"Wha…hey!" Eevee said. "That's not fair!"

"I ain't losin', ya hear?!" Miltank shouted. She then landed a massive foot on Eevee's body, smashing him into the ground.

"Urrgh…" Eevee groaned. He stood up, but fell back down, clearly injured.

"Eevee! Get out of there!" Reia cried.

Eevee tried to lift his body, but the pain was too much to bear. At this moment, Miltank was gearing up for another Rollout, barreling towards Eevee.

"Riolu! Cover Eevee!" I shouted. "Force Palm!"

Riolu dashed in front of Eevee and drew his palm back. Right as it looked like Miltank was going to take both of them, she was blasted back by an immense force, which suggested that Riolu's attack had landed.

"You OK, bud?" Riolu said, helping Eevee onto his feet.

"Yeah…Thanks," Eevee said. "If it weren't for you, I'd be road kill."

"C'mon, let's finish this battle together," Riolu said. "Can you still execute a Quick Attack?"

"I'll try," Eevee said, taking himself off of Riolu's shoulder. The two started to run at Miltank.

"Now that's teamwork," I said in admiration.

"Go get 'em, you guys!" Reia cheered.

The two Pokémon sped up until you could barely see them. All you could see was a blue and brown streak as their attacks slammed into Miltank, finishing the job.

"Miltank is unable to battle!" Stan shouted. "Riolu and Eevee are the winners! The victory goes to Roku and Reia!"

"Yes! We did it!" I cheered. I ran up to Riolu and scooped him up, saying, "You did great! I made the right choice in bringing you along!"

"It wasn't just me, Roku," Riolu said. "You should thank Braixen, as well as Eevee."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you, Riolu," Eevee said, walking up with Reia. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have finished this battle."

I put Riolu down and looked at Whitney, who was crying all over again.

"What?" I asked. "What did I do?"

"You made Whitney cry again," her partner said. "But that's OK. She'll stop soon. She always cries when she loses."

_Wow, _I thought. _What a sore loser._

I walked up to Whitney and said, "Crying about it's not going to change anything."

Whitney looked up and said, "What do you want?"

"Uh, I'd like a Badge, after all my hard work," I said.

"A Badge?" Whitney asked, puzzled. "Oh, right. Here's the Plain Badge."

I took my third Badge, which really wasn't anything special in terms of appearance, and snapped it into my badge case. After Whitney congratulated me on my victory, I said my goodbyes to all the girls that were Whitney's apprentices and went back to the Pokémon Center for a little rest.

Right then, I got a call on my P*DA from someone named Cedric.

* * *

Author's Note: Not a very long chapter, I know, but the Gym battle wasn't all that difficult, even with the Pokémon I had to work with when I started my battling career. By the way, I still have my Typhlosion and my first Umbreon from my original Gold version. My Umbreon is my lifelong partner, and I wouldn't trade him for anything. Those who ask will hear some very rude things from me.

Anyway, Roku will be going through the National Park next, but not until after he experiences the Pokeathlon, which I'm sure that, if you've played HeartGold or SoulSilver, you've heard of. Also, If you noticed, the leader of the Legend Keepers is calling Roku personally. Or maybe it's someone else…

I'll leave it to you to think about what happens next. Until then, this is Strato Abyss signing out.


	17. Contact

Chapter 17: Contact

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City Pokémon Center**

I looked at the mysterious name on my P*DA's screen. Who was this Cedric guy, and how did he get my number?

"Who is it?" Reia asked as she walked out from the fitting room. She had changed back into her white-and-blue high-waist dress, and now she was wearing a pair of black tights and black zip-up boots. On her head sat a white felt hat with a black star pin latched to it.

"I don't know," I said. "Some guy named Cedric."

Reia widened her eyes. "Then you'd better answer it quick."

I nodded and answered the call. A slightly built guy in his fifties shimmered into view. I'll admit, he didn't look fifty. He had short brown hair and slight stubble, and he was wearing a leather jacket with a pair of jeans and black lace-up boots. The word "Douchebag" went through my head as soon as I saw him.

"You must be Roku Kimura, am I right?" Cedric said.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied. "That must make you Cedric. How did you get this number?"

"I know a lot about you, Roku," Cedric said. "I know where you were born, where you grew up, and who lived in your town. I even know what your first partner Pokémon was."

"And how do you know so much about me?" I asked. Someone who knew so much about me had to have belonged to a big organization. So, he had to either be of Team Prime, or…

"You're a Legend Keeper," I said. I knew I was assuming a lot just by mentioning the name to a complete stranger. But Reia seemed to know who he was, and I could tell he was a good guy from the gleam in her eyes.

"Very deductive, son," Cedric said with a smile on his face. "I made the right choice to send Reia after you. By the way, where is Reia? I must speak with her."

"So that means you're the head," I said. "Now I know why you've called. You want to know if I've made the decision to join the ranks."

"Damn, I made a GREAT choice in choosing you," Cedric said, laughing. "Yes, that is part of the reason. And now, I think I deserve an answer after being read so flawlessly. Are you willing to join the Legend Keepers?"

"Roku and I have already made the decision," Luna piped up. "We will."

"That's right," I confirmed. "As soon as we get to Ecruteak City, we're heading straight to the dance theater."

"That's good to hear," Cedric said. "I know Latias would be glad to hear that."

I perked up as Cedric said those words. That meant Latias was still in the HQ, waiting for me.

"Now, if you wouldn't mind, I have to speak with Reia alone," Cedric said.

"Oh, OK." I unsnapped my P*DA from my wrist and handed it to Reia before walking out to the waiting room.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City Pokémon Center**

"So, Reia," Cedric said. "You think Roku is ready?"

"I think he's more than ready to assume the responsibility," Reia said. "Roku's got talent, and that's exactly what we need. Besides, isn't he a legacy?"

"Yes," Cedric said. "His mother, Kyoko Kimura, was a Legend Keeper, but she retired ten years ago. She is the only Legend Keeper said to have come into contact with the Pokémon of the universe."

Reia blanched, her eyes widening. "No way! Those Pokémon are supposed to be locked away in two separate dimensions!"

"Yes…she's the only one who has done it," Cedric said. "Which brings me to my next question: Has Roku been experiencing any odd dreams? Has he fallen asleep and could not be woken up, no matter what you've tried?"

Reia tried to think, and then it hit her. Roku did sleep an unusually long time when they were in Azalea Town. She thought it was a coincidence, but now that Cedric mentioned it, Reia was wondering if one of the Galaxy Pokémon was trying to get into contact with him.

"There was a case of that in Azalea town," Reia said. "I couldn't wake him up at all."

"Hmm…interesting," Cedric said. "If it happens again, don't hesitate to call me."

"Now I have a question for you," Reia said. "Calem. Where did he come from and why was he tailing me?"

Cedric sighed and said, "I knew that you would've been in danger, so I sent him to follow you and make sure nothing happened."

"You were looking out for me," Reia said.

"Calem suggested the idea to me," Cedric said. "I guess your neighbor cares deeply about you."

Reia smiled. She did know that Calem would protect her, no matter the cost or circumstance. He was there on that fateful day when Reia's Pokémon were killed mercilessly in front of her. He was the one who had run them off.

"So he decided to do it again," Reia said softly. "He traveled here all the way from Kalos just to find me."

"I'm afraid I must ask you to go and find Roku," Cedric said. "Latias wants to speak with him."

"OK, I'll go find him," Reia said, standing up. "I'll see you back at HQ."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City Pokémon Center**

"…Hello?"

I was standing in a glowing area once again; one that was similar to the dream I had in Azalea Town.

"…Can you hear me?"

I jumped as the voice went through my head. The voice was a lot stronger now!

_Maybe I should try to communicate with it, _I thought to myself.

"Yes, I can hear you!" I said. "Where are you?"

Part of the air in front of me rippled and contorted, and eventually, I was left looking at a strange white creature. It sort of resembled a humanoid dragon, with large wings and horns. Pretty much what you'd see on a normal dragon.

"Who…what are you?" I said.

"My name is Celestrix," the dragon said. "And I have been looking forward to meeting you, Roku."

"That makes two people," I said. "Where are we?"

"This is a dream, of course," Celestrix said. "I am intercepting the path of your dreams to appear before you here. Your body is in a state of sleep in which you will not wake up until I release your mind from mine."

"So, right now, I'm in a coma?" I asked.

"In a sense, yes," she confirmed.

"So…again, what are you?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"I am a Pokémon, as you have called us," Celestrix said. "However, I have existed since long before the entity known as Arceus created your world. In fact, Arceus is the result of the power that we used to create this universe."

I blanched. This Pokémon was saying that she'd created the universe! I didn't really think about who could've created the universe; in my own stupidity, I thought that it was all Arceus.

"Wait, so, you said 'we'," I said. "Does that mean there are two of you?"

"My brother, Shihado," Celestrix said. "He is not what you'd call 'mentally right'. He seeks to plunge this world into darkness, and if your Team Prime gets their hands on the Pokémon needed to complete the Dark Covenant, he will succeed."

"I'm not about to let that happen!" I said. "I didn't join the Legend Keepers for nothing!"

"You will help me?" Celestrix said.

"I don't know what I'll be able to do, but I'll try my best," I said confidently. "What do I have to do to stop Shihado's release?"

"Splendid!" Celestrix said happily. "You'll have to get the Pokémon of the Core Covenant to help me seal the dimension where he resides permanently. These Pokémon have been given the names Celebi, Xerneas, Rayquaza, and Arceus."

I nodded as she listed them off, but once she mentioned the name Arceus, I looked at her like she was insane.

"Arceus?! Are you NUTS?!" I shouted. "How in the hell do you expect me to find a Pokémon like that, when he's supposed to be extinct?!"

"No, Arceus still lives," Celestrix said. "He resides on a plane higher than the world itself. There is an item that can be used to summon a magical staircase to the Plane of Origin, but it has been long gone and forgotten."

"Wonderful…" I said. "But, I never go back on my word. I'll help you, no matter what it takes."

"Wonderful! I knew I could count on you!" Celestrix said happily. "I must go now. I will now return you to your waking life."

That's where the dream cut out.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Goldenrod City Pokémon Center**

"Roku!"

I screamed and woke up, finding Reia, Zuki, and Calem standing around me. They all had worried looks on their faces.

"What's up?" I asked casually.

"You were asleep, and we tried to wake you, but you just wouldn't wake up," Zuki explained. "It was like you were in a coma."

I didn't believe it at first, but Celestrix was right. She had put my body in a coma like state when she linked her mind to mine. I looked at Reia, who was still talking to Cedric on my P*DA, and eventually, I stood up and joined her.

"You're still talking to him?" I asked Reia.

"Roku! Reia just told me you woke up from a coma-like condition!" Cedric exclaimed. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, it was just some strange dream," I said. I didn't think that he would believe me for a second, but I figured I'd tell him about it since it involved a Legendary Pokémon. So I proceeded to tell Cedric about what happened while I was in dreamland.

"So, it seems you had an encounter with Celestrix," Cedric said after I had finished.

"Do you know anything about this, Cedric?" I asked.

"Celestrix is an extremely powerful Mythical Pokémon, one who was not thought to have even existed," Cedric explained. "One night, she called out to one of our Legend Keepers. Said something about 'the one you bear will be the one I seek.'"

"'The one you bear will be the one I seek?'" I repeated. "Who was the Keeper who Celestrix contacted?"

"One who was long retired 10 years ago," Cedric said. "Even still, her name escapes me."

"I see…" I said, thoughts and images flooding my head. I couldn't get those words out of my head. _The one you bear will be the one I seek. _The first possibility was my mother, but I never knew anything about her being a Legend Keeper. Next was my father, but Cedric mentioned that the Keeper was a female.

_Gah…too much going through my head,_ I thought. _I'll think about this later._

"So, what does this mean?" I asked.

"It means that you will have to find the Pokémon of the Core Covenant that Celestrix mentioned," Cedric said. "It's a difficult task, so I would encourage you to take your time."

"We already have one in our possession," I said. "Calem managed to rescue a Celebi from the hands of a Team Prime Admin."

"Well, that makes things easier," Cedric said. "Calem! Do you know the status of the remaining Kalosian Legendary Pokémon?"

"As far as I know, Xerneas is also in our possession, but she preferred to stay in Kalos," Calem said. "Zygarde is keeping a firm watch on her."

"Good. Now all we need to worry about is Rayquaza and Arceus," Cedric said, sighing. "Mainly Arceus. We don't even know where He is."

"Exactly," I said. "But Celestrix did tell me about an item that can be used to summon some sort of staircase to a Plane of Origin. The problem is, we don't even know where to find THAT."

"We'll worry about that later," Cedric said. "For now, focus on getting to Ecruteak City so we can talk in person. We still have to see if you're worthy to join our ranks."

"OK. I'm heading out now," I said. I hung up and reattached my P*DA to my wrist.

"C'mon, let's go," I said, heading towards the door.

"Are you sure you're OK to travel?" Reia said worriedly. "You were asleep for a very long time; who's to say you won't drop dead while we're on the road?"

"I'll be fine," I said, smiling. "I've got a friend to look forward to seeing."

With that remark, I headed out the door, Luna at my heels. Later, the rest of the group followed, and we headed north towards Ecruteak. However, we were stopped by a girl who had come out of the local flower shop.

"Hi!" she said as she stopped me. "Is it true that you defeated Whitney?"

"Well, technically, we both had a hand in it," I said, looking back at Reia. "But, yeah, we did."

"Great! Then you should be able to handle yourselves," she said. "You see, my assistant just called, saying that she found out something about that weird tree blocking the road to Ecruteak! It hates water!"

I cocked an eyebrow. "A tree that hates water?"

"I was just about to head out there myself, but since you guys are Trainers, do you think you can look into it for me?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure," I said. "What do we need to do?"

"Well, we think it may be a Pokémon, so I want you to take this Squirtbottle and meet my assistant on Route 37," she explained. "She said that once she threw some water on the tree, it jumped. So I want to see if it really is a Pokémon."

"It may take a while, but I'll call you once we've found out," I said. The girl thanked us again and headed back to her flower shop. And, once again, we headed out onto Route 35, my goal finally within reach.

* * *

Author's Note: Finally, introducing a fan-made Pokémon…CELESTRIX! *cue applause* I've been wondering what to do with my two Fakemon for a while now, and this is a perfect place to fit them in.

Anyway, guess I kinda lied on the last note I sent out. This chapter was pretty much a filler for future events, so, there you have it. Roku visits la-la land and meets the head Legend Keeper.

That's all for now. Strato Abyss signing out.


	18. Let's Pokeathlon!

Chapter 18: Let's Pokeathlon!

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 35**

"Luna! Finish it with Quick Attack!"

"Lyra, nail it with Ember!"

Reia and I were engaged in battle with a couple of circus freaks: a Juggler and a Firebreather. Night had fallen, and we had fought our way through the road with ease. And this time, it was a full moon, which meant that Luna was even more powerful.

Anyway, Luna slammed into the Firebreather's Magmar, knocking it out, while Lyra scorched the Juggler's last Voltorb with a nasty Ember attack, finishing the battle.

"Aw, come on! That's just cold!" the Firebreather whined as he returned his fallen Pokémon.

"I don't know, it seemed pretty hot on my end," the Juggler said as he returned the ball to its ball.

"Either way, we won," I said. "Great job, Luna."

"You too, Lyra!" Reia said happily. "Way to fire things up!"

The two Pokémon beamed at our gracious compliments. We ended up heading towards the National Park, where we planned on setting up camp for the night. However, that all changed when I saw a sign hung up near the west exit.

"Play collectively with your Pokémon, trust your Pokémon, and believe in your Pokémon's potential! Your friendship with Pokémon will make your dream come true! Pokeathlon for you!"

"Pokeathlon, huh?" I said to myself.

"I've heard of that," Reia said, stepping up beside me. "The Pokeathlon is a series of sporting events that test your Pokémon's athletic abilities. They have five separate courses: Speed, Power, Skill, Stamina, and Jump, all designed to test the mettle of your Pokémon."

"Sounds fun," I said, looking down at Luna. "Maybe we should give it a try."

"I'm down!" Luna said.

"Then I'll do it too," Reia said. "Could be a useful opportunity to get stronger."

"Then what are we waiting for?" I said, heading to the west exit. "Let the sweat fly!"

We walked out the door to find a perfectly paved path to a massive dome-like structure. About halfway between us and the dome stood a big guy in a light blue jersey and his behemoth of a Poliwrath. He turned around right as we were walking up and looked us over.

"Hmm…I see it!" he said finally. "That twinkle in your eyes…and your air of confidence…yes! You'd make fine Pokeathletes!"

"Uh…thanks," I said, not so sure of how I should take that.

"It's Trainers like you two that make me glad that I opened up the Pokeathlon in Johto!" he said. "My name is Magnus. I'll be seeing you again soon, if my predictions are correct."

The man walked off. His Poliwrath said, "Be seeing you," before following him.

"Who was that guy?" I asked.

"Maybe he's some sort of athletic fortune-teller?" Reia suggested.

I looked on as the man entered the dome. He had a certain air of fame around him, and I couldn't help but feel like he was some sort of legend. I shrugged the feeling off and walked up to the dome, taking a deep breath before walking in.

* * *

**Calem's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

While Roku and Reia were off to the Pokeathlon Dome, Calem and Zuki were out setting up camp for when they returned. Zuki and her Umbreon had gone out and gathered firewood, and Calem sent out his Charizard to get the fire started.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower," Calem said calmly. "But tone it down a bit; we don't want people to think we're trying to burn this place down."

"Hmph…fine," Charizard sighed, sending a small shot of fire at the wood and setting it ablaze.

Zuki and Calem were sitting around the fire, with their partners out beside them. That's when Zuki decided to finally ask Calem about how he appeared from out of nowhere.

"Calem."

Calem looked up at Zuki. "Hm?"

"Last I knew, you were still in Kalos," Zuki said. "Yet here you are. The way you appeared was also quite suspicious. Tell me: why were you following us?"

"I was sent to make sure Reia didn't get into any danger," Calem explained. "Reia is my friend, and I will always be there for her."

"…You love her, don't you?"

Calem blanched. Zuki was already shooting accusations of love at him. But, now that he realized it, he always did feel a little different when she was around. Something about Reia made his heart beat faster.

"…I…I might actually love her," Calem said. "But she already seems to be attached to Roku. It'd be selfish of me to take her from who she really loves."

Calem facepalmed mentally. How could he deny his own feelings like that?! But, his head said to let her go, whereas his heart said to claim her as his own. Calem shook his head; the thoughts were flooding his brain.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Calem said, looking away. Zuki nodded and stood up, saying, "Maybe a battle will help clear your head. How about it?"

Calem looked up at her and said, "Sure, why not?"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Pokeathlon Dome**

We stepped in and were instantly awe-struck. The dome had a futuristic look to it, or at least, the entrance hall did. We walked up to the reception desk, when we heard a shout coming from the door.

"Roku! Reia!"

We turned around to see Whitney running up to us, still dressed in her usual attire. Reia gave me the evil eye, as if she was testing me.

"So, you're here to try out the Pokeathlon, too?" Whitney said.

"Yeah," I replied. "We figured it'd be a great bonding experience for our Pokémon. Is that why you're here?"

"Yep! I've already done a few courses myself, actually," Whitney confirmed. Then she looked us over and jumped in surprise.

"Wait…you're not going in dressed like that, are you?!" Whitney said.

"Well, I wasn't gonna dress in a tuxedo," I said.

"Wait a minute!" Reia said angrily. "What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?!"

"Well, you two don't look like athletes," Whitney said. "But don't worry, I'll take care of that. Roku, are you a small or a medium…? You look like a medium…" Then she looked at Reia. "And I bet you're a small. I'll be right back!"

With that, Whitney ran off and down a flight of stairs. She came back later with two jerseys: one black and one blue.

"Here you go! Now you can look the part!" Whitney said. "Now, I'm gonna…wait! Where are my Pokémon?!"

Whitney looked at us and said, "I've got to go back to the Gym! See ya later!"

Once Whitney was out the door, I facepalmed. Who forgets to take their Pokémon with them?

"What a dunce," Reia said, getting my vibe.

"Tell me about it," I replied. I ignored the feeling and went to the desk.

"This is the desk for registration," the lady behind the desk said. "Will you try the Pokeathlon?"

"Yes, ma'am," we said in unison.

"Are you going in as a team or are you competing against each other?" she asked.

Reia and I looked at each other.

"We haven't competed against each other for a while," I said.

"Let's have it out," Reia said, smiling.

"Alone," I said.

"And what course will you be participating in?"

"I don't know…how about the Speed Course?" I suggested. Reia nodded her approval.

"OK, now I need your Trainer Cards and a team of three Pokémon," the receptionist said.

Reia flinched, and I knew why. She only had Lyra and Eevee. I took out one of my Poke Balls and handed it to her, saying, "Here, use this one. He'll obey you, I know."

Reia looked at me, then the Poke Ball. She nodded and took it.

We returned our partners to their Poke Balls and sat them on the table with the other Pokémon we were going to use. The receptionist read the DNA registered in each ball and opened the door. She handed us our Trainer Cards and told us good luck before showing us to the waiting areas. I nodded at Reia as we were put in separate rooms.

I took this time to change out into the jersey that Whitney had given me. That's when I actually started to think about her. She wasn't exactly my type, but I had to admit; I could watch those hips move all day.

Once I had finished dressing out, I sent out the team that was going to earn us our first Pokeathlon victory: Luna, Riolu, and Braixen.

"So what are we doing in here?" Braixen piped up.

"We're waiting until the receptionist tells us the course is ready," I said.

"Ready for what?" Riolu asked next.

"The Pokeathlon," Luna said, educating both of them. "Just be prepared to let the sweat fly."

"Saweeet! I love a good brawl!" Braixen said happily. "Let's have it out!"

"It's not a fight," Luna said. "It's meant to test our athletic abilities. We're going to be pushed to the limits, but I have faith in you two."

"What kind of course are we doing?" Riolu asked. Him and Luna seemed to be the only ones taking this seriously.

"They're testing us on Speed," I said. "There's gonna be a lot of running going on, but I know we can win. You're all fast Pokémon, so we have this one in the bag."

"But we can't use moves," Luna pointed out. "That's an immediate disqualification."

"Well, there goes my speed," Braixen whined. "If I can't use Flame Charge, I can't go any faster that I can right now."

"Braixen, have you seen how fast you've become?" I said.

And it was very true. Braixen was very light on his feet, and he could dodge and execute an attack before the opponent knew what hit them. That's why I chose him; I knew we could win this if we gave it our all.

"Really?" Braixen said. "I guess I never noticed it before. Thanks, Roku!"

"No problem," I said, smiling.

"Roku, the course is ready," the receptionist said.

"OK, guys," I said, then quickly added, "and girl," when Luna gave me the stink eye. "Let's show them what we're made of! Time to win this thing!"

"YEAH!" my Pokémon yelled.

I returned my team to their Poke Balls and walked out onto the lit field.

"Welcome to the Pokeathlon!" the announcer shouted. The crowd went up in cheers.

"Today we'll be doing the Speed Course!" the announcer continued. "Who will shine brightest today? Let's meet the competitors!"

The teams were prompted to release their Pokémon once their name was called out. I pulled out my Poke Balls.

"No one will stop us! We'll go running all the way! Team Roku: Umbreon, Riolu, and Braixen!"

I threw out my Poke Balls, releasing my team onto the field.

"We'll show them! Our bond goes way beyond this world! Team Reia: Vulpix, Pidgey, and Eevee!"

I saw Reia release her Pokémon. I had to admit, she looked good in a jersey. I also noticed her felt hat was off, revealing the full glory of those golden locks.

I shook my head. I had to keep a clear mind, or I was going to lose.

"Don't eat the grass along the road of life! My personal slogan! Team Eva: Hoppip, Oddish, and Bellsprout!"

The lass released her all-Grass type team. I wondered how it was going to work, then I started thinking: would types have a place in a competition like this? If so, we were going to be at a disadvantage due to our lack of conformity.

"Do you think you can keep up with me? They call me the 'Victorious Victor'! Team Victor: Ponyta, Doduo, and Growlithe!"

I shuddered as Victor threw out the three speed demons. I had gathered their data from the Pokedex, and all three of those Pokémon have amazing speed and agility. This wasn't going to be easy.

"All right, we're ready!" the announcer shouted. "Aim for the top! Let's…"

"POKEATHLON!" everyone shouted.

* * *

Author's Note: In my opinion, I think the Pokeathlon was a pretty decent replacement for Pokémon Contests. Better than those crappy Pokémon Musicals in Gen 5 (I literally wanted to put the game down and go back to my HeartGold). But I'm really glad they're being brought back in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire! I LOVED Pokémon Contests. I remember sweeping a Beauty Contest with my LV 100 Swampert. Imagine the look of shock on the other contestants' face when their Milotic, Gardevoir, and Medicham get creamed by an ugly-ass mud fish. I laughed my ass off.

Anyway, the Pokeathlon events will ensue in the next chapter, but they will be preceded by the battle between Calem and Zuki. I plan on making this one a doozy, so stick around.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	19. Records Broken

Chapter 19: Records Broken

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Pokeathlon Dome**

"The first event will be the Hurdle Dash!" the announcer shouted.

A long track sprawled out in front of us, and many hurdles were set up in individual lanes. There was three lanes to each team; one for each Pokémon.

"Your Pokémon will be running the course, jumping the hurdles as they go!" the announcer continued. "Each of your Pokémon's times will be recorded and combined once all of them have crossed the finish line! The team with the fastest combined time wins! Remember: using moves will result in immediate disqualification!"

We nodded and took our places.

"On your marks…get set…GO!"

Riolu was the first to go, blasting off with great speed. I couldn't see any wind around him, which meant that he wasn't using Quick Attack. None of my Pokémon used any moves to get the jump on the opposition, so we were OK. Reia's team, however, was hot on their heels, and was staying that way as they jumped the first line of hurdles.

I looked at the jumbotron as the places showed up on the screen. Riolu was standing strong in first place, followed by Luna, Ponyta, Pidgey, Braixen, Hoppip, Doduo, Growlithe, Lyra, Eevee, Bellsprout, and Oddish.

"What a lead! Roku's Riolu is tearing up the competition out there!" the announcer shouted. "Wait…what's this?"

Riolu looked behind him and widened his eyes as he saw Ponyta barreling up behind him at full speed. He almost crashed into the next hurdle, but he flipped over it and kept running. Luna didn't want to lose, either, so she sped up to catch up with Ponyta.

"It's a battle for first place!" the announcer said excitedly. "Riolu, Umbreon, and Ponyta are neck and neck!"

However, Ponyta was going a bit too fast, and she couldn't jump over the next hurdle fast enough, causing her to trip and fall on her face. Riolu and Luna sped ahead, with Pidgey and Braixen taking Ponyta's place.

"And it appears we have another battle going on in the back!" the announcer pointed out.

I looked at the jumbotron to see Lyra and Eevee blast ahead of Growlithe and Hoppip, only being showed up by Doduo, who had sped up.

"I'm not losing this one, birdbrain!" Lyra shouted, speeding up even faster.

"In your dreams, foxy!" Doduo shouted back, speeding up as well.

The race was almost over, for the Pokémon were approaching the finish line.

"C'mon, Lyra! You can do this!" Reia shouted.

Lyra gritted her teeth and put everything she had into the last burst of speed, slowly advancing ahead of Doduo.

"What the…?!" Doduo shouted in surprise.

"How do you like me now?!" Lyra shouted with a smile.

The Pokémon barreled across the finish line. Riolu had placed first, followed by Luna, Pidgey, Braixen, Lyra, Doduo, Eevee, Ponyta, Growlithe, Hoppip, Bellsprout, and Oddish taking up the rear.

"There you have it, folks! The end of the first event!" the announcer shouted. "Who is the winner?!"

We all looked at the jumbotron as the times were being tallied up. It ended up with Eva placing fourth, Victor placing third, and Reia taking second, while I was sitting pretty in first.

"Team Roku wins the first event!" the announcer boomed. "But it's only the beginning! Proceed to your locker rooms until the next event is ready!"

We returned our Pokémon and proceeded to the locker rooms. Victor stopped me and said, "You got lucky this time, kid. But I'm taking this next one. You can bet on it."

"If it makes you feel better, keep saying that," I shot back, leaving Victor's jaw dropped as I went to my locker room.

* * *

Calem's P.O.V.

National Park

Calem and Zuki took their places near the fountain, ready for battle.

"OK, three-on-three, agreed?" Calem said.

"Agreed," Zuki replied.

The two Trainers pulled out their first Pokémon.

"Go, Greninja!"

"Go, Umbreon!"

The two Trainers threw out their partner Pokémon.

"Umbreon, use Quick Attack!" Zuki shouted.

"Greninja, Mat Block!" Calem ordered.

Umbreon dashed forward at lightning fast speed, only to be stopped by Greninja's bubbly shield. Now that Umbreon was up close, he was open for attack.

"Greninja, Ice Beam!" Calem shouted.

Umbreon didn't have enough time to get out of the way, and was frozen solid by the icy beam of energy. Zuki returned Umbreon to his Poke Ball and substituted Raikou in his place.

"Raikou, use Rain Dance!" Zuki shouted.

Raikou roared loudly, and almost immediately, the sky turned darker and it started to rain. Calem smiled, however. Little did Zuki know that Greninja had the Hidden Ability Protean, which changed the Pokémon's type to the same type as the last move it used.

With this in mind, Calem ordered Greninja to use Hydro Cannon, his most powerful move. With the boost from Rain Dance and from Protean, it was going to do a substantial amount of damage to the Legendary Pokémon.

Greninja charged up and sent a massive blast of water straight at Raikou, who, even with his high speed, wasn't able to escape it, and was blasted back incredibly far. By this time, every Trainer in the park had gathered to witness this legendary battle.

"Good strategy, using Rain Dance to your advantage," Zuki commended him. "But you're wide open now. Raikou, use Thunder!"

Raikou launched himself up and over the crowd, letting out a massive roar before dropping a thunderbolt worthy of Zekrom himself onto Greninja. The Ninja Pokémon jolted and writhed horribly before falling to the ground, fainted.

Calem couldn't help but lose his poker face. That attack was powerful enough to take out his most powerful Pokémon. But he still had two Pokémon left. Calem removed his second Poke Ball from his belt and thought, _I know you can do this. I have faith in you._

Calem lobbed the ball onto the field, revealing his second choice.

* * *

Roku's P.O.V.

Pokeathlon Dome

The remaining Pokeathletes and I walked onto the next stage, ready for the next event. This stage was set up like a beach in a way, with rocks and umbrellas scattered around the stage.

"This next event is called Pennant Capture!" the announcer said. "You will be running through the stage, picking up the pennants that pop up from the sand. When you've gathered enough, head back to the line to switch with a partner. The team that gathers the most pennants wins!"

I saw many pennants emerge from the sand on the stage. I decided to let Riolu take the first turn.

"On your marks…get set…GO!"

The Pokémon on the line launched themselves onto the stage, gathering up as many pennants as they could. Riolu had at least six in his hand until Victor's Ponyta ran up to him and slammed him to the ground, taking his pennants as well.

"Hey! That's playing dirty!" Riolu shouted.

"In this sport, you do whatever it takes to win!" Ponyta replied, galloping back to the start line.

Riolu gathered up as many pennants as he could, but he only came back with three. I sent Luna out next.

"Don't let anyone behind you," I warned her.

"Don't worry," Luna growled. "They won't get me."

Luna dashed out onto the stage, scooping up any pennants she could find in her mouth. Victor's Doduo ran in to try and knock her off balance, but Luna slid and swept Doduo's legs out from under him, knocking him to the ground and taking his pennants.

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it, Victor?" I said, smiling cruelly. All Victor could do was glare at me.

Luna ran back, nine pennants in her mouth. She let them go, spluttering because of the sand in her mouth, and went behind me, leaving Braixen to it.

"Go get 'em, Braixen!" I said.

Braixen launched out onto the stage, picking up pennants left and right, and even sneaking a few pennants from the opponents.

_What the…Braixen must have the Hidden Ability Magician! _I thought to myself. _That's incredible!_

Braixen ran back victorious, carrying nine more pennants. Lyra was hot on his heels, also carrying back nine. I looked at the jumbotron, noticing that Reia and I were tied. The seconds were ticking down fast, so I sent Riolu out fast, telling him to pick up the pace. Riolu dashed out, gathering more pennants. But I saw Ponyta gaining on him fast, going for another sneak attack.

Riolu looked behind him, and I could see his eyes. They said, _not this time._

Riolu dodged to the side just as Ponyta was about to ram into him, and the added speed sent Ponyta into the wall, knocking it out. Riolu ran in, recovered as many pennants as he could, and ran across the line as time ran out.

"That's it for the second event!" the announcer shouted. "Who won?"

I looked at the jumbotron to see the final results. Victor was dead last, Eva took third, and Reia and I ended up tying.

"This was a very close match! Team Roku and Team Reia have tied for first!" the announcer. "Time to settle this in the final event! Proceed to your locker rooms until the next event!"

* * *

Calem's P.O.V.

National Park

"Go, Charizard!"

The Flame Pokémon exploded from the ball, landing on the field and giving out a vicious roar; half for intimidation, half for how pissed off he was at the rain.

"Sending out a Pokémon who has a complete disadvantage against mine?" Zuki said, chuckling softly. "You must have lost your edge."

Zuki's expression changed, however, when Charizard started to glow, and she saw that Calem had touched his Mega Ring.

"Uh, oh…"

Charizard exploded from the ball of light that had enveloped him, Mega Evolving into Mega Charizard Y. The sky quickly cleared, and a miniature sun was beating down on the park with great intensity.

"You forget that I wield the power of Mega Evolution!" Calem shouted. "Charizard, use Earthquake!"

Charizard roared again and slammed his tail on the ground, causing a massive quake and decimating Raikou. Zuki huffed and returned Raikou to his Poke Ball.

"You did well, partner," she said softly, looking down at the ball. "Get some rest." Then she looked up at Calem.

"You did well to defeat a Legendary Pokémon. I'm thoroughly impressed."

Zuki pulled a Poke Ball from her kimono.

"But I'm afraid I'll have to end this battle here…with me as the victor! Umbreon, release yourself from your frozen prison!"

Zuki threw out her partner, knowing very well that the heat from Charizard's Drought would thaw him out. The brick of ice slowly melted away into a very damp Umbreon.

"Now, use Moonlight!" Zuki shouted.

Umbreon's rings started to glow, and he healed the damage that had been dealt to him in the previous bout.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Calem shouted.

"Umbreon, counter it with Dark Pulse!" Zuki ordered.

Umbreon shot a massive black beam of energy at Charizard as he released the fiery stream. The two attacks clashed head-on and started a battle of willpower.

Calem and Zuki locked eyes with each other, not noticing the crowd that was going wild as the battle ensued. If one of them or their Pokémon lost focus for even a millisecond, they could lose.

Which wasn't an option for either of them.

Zuki was trying to work out a plan of action so that she could defeat Calem's Charizard and claim victory. She could tell Umbreon to put as much as he had into the attack, but as far as power goes, Charizard had him beat. He was just barely pushing the attack back.

_I need to try and catch him off guard, _Zuki thought to herself. _But how?_

Then a light bulb went off in her head.

* * *

Roku's P.O.V.

Pokeathlon Dome

I sat in the locker room with my Pokémon, trying to psych them up for the final event.

"OK, guys! And girl…" I said before Luna could shoot me another dirty look. "We've come very far in the past few minutes, and I know that I don't want to lose. We need to give this next run 150%! No backing down now! Let's do it!"

My Pokémon cheered and stomped, all fired up for our next event. As soon as we got the call for the next event, we ran out onto the field, eager to claim victory.

"The next event is simply titled Relay Run!" the announcer shouted. "One of your Pokémon will run the track until they can't run anymore, then will be substituted for another Pokémon! The team that runs the farthest distance when the time limit ends wins!"

I let Riolu take the first crack at it. The three other Pokeathletes line up on the line with him.

"On your marks…get set…GO!"

Riolu blasted off, the three other Pokémon hot on his heels. However, Eva's Bellsprout began to fall behind the rest, its endurance slipping. Riolu, Ponyta, and Eevee were neck and neck as they completed the first lap. Eva was the first to substitute a Pokémon, returning Bellsprout and throwing out her Hoppip. After the third lap, Riolu was growing extremely tired, and so I returned him and sent out Luna.

Luna slammed it into high gear, blasting ahead of Ponyta and regaining the ground we had lost. Victor eventually had to switch Ponyta out, sending out his Doduo. Reia recalled her Eevee and sent Pidgey out to race for him. Three more laps had gone by before we switched out Pokémon again, this time bringing out all Fire-type Pokémon: Lyra, Braixen, and Growlithe.

"Time is halfway up!" the announcer informed us.

I looked at Braixen, who was pretty much a streak of yellow, except that he wasn't using Quick Attack. He must have heard the announcer, and was giving it his all before he had to rest. After the tenth lap, we had switched out again, going back to Riolu, Eevee, and Ponyta. Ponyta was speeding up, slowly beginning to overtake Riolu.

"We will win this event!" Ponyta shouted. "I'm not going to let a rookie like you screw this up!"

Ponyta ran in to try and knock Riolu into the wall. But Riolu was expecting that, and jumped up on Ponyta, letting her slam into the wall.

"Hey! This ain't a fair!" Ponyta said, trying to shake Riolu off her back. "No pony rides!"

Riolu smirked and jumped forward, placing a foot on Ponyta's forehead before using the added momentum to blast forward and take the lead again.

"See you at the finish line, Dash!" Riolu mocked as he pulled away from Ponyta.

The time soon ended, and I looked at the jumbotron as our results were tallied up. Team Eva had only managed to run 7.6 laps, while Team Victor managed to run a cool 14.8 laps. Team Reia hit 15.1, while I was sitting at a massive 15.4.

"Team Roku wins the final event!" the announcer boomed. "That's it for this Pokeathlon! Let's see who won!"

Later, all of the Pokeathletes were gathered around a stage as the announcer gave out the awards.

"That's it for another Pokeathlon!" he shouted. "We will announce the winners in a moment. But first, who's overflowing with fighting spirit?! Here's a Challenge Bonus for each team!"

Our point totals went up. I received 29, Reia got 34, Victor got 35, and Eva got 30.

"Next, the individual prizes…there wasn't one this time."

I shook my head, wondering why he'd even mention it in the first place.

"Moving on…the points leader!" the announcer continued. "…Team Roku's Riolu!"

My point total went up by 30, bringing me ahead of the other teams.

"Next, a prize for effort!" the announcer continued. "The Pokémon that failed the most…Team Eva's Oddish!"

Eva's point total went up by 20. I could see a sheepish grin slide across her face.

"And now, let's total up the event points!" the announcer shouted.

We all looked at the jumbotron. I could feel my pulse rise, but I was confident that I was going to take the win.

"Event 1!" the announcer shouted as our point meters went up. I knew I had that one in the bag. Reia was hot on my heels, though, and it made me kind of nervous.

"Event 2!" the announcer continued. Our meters went up again. I could see the same nervousness in Reia's eyes.

"Event 3!" the announcer shouted finally. I could feel the tension in the air. It was bearing down on me with the weight of a Golem. I didn't doubt for even a second that the other Pokeathletes couldn't feel it. It was hard to miss, especially with the complete silence.

Actually, now that I thought about it, there has been a few explosive sounds coming from outside, though it was barely noticeable. I intended to check it out after the ceremony was over.

"And the winner…with 436 points…Team Roku!"

I immediately snapped out of my thoughts as soon as I heard that. The crowd exploded in cheers, and I could see the medal that was about to be handed to me. Not hesitating, I stepped up on the stage.

"Team Roku has earned the Speed Medal!" the announcer shouted, handing the medal to me. "Team Roku has also beaten the course record for the most laps run in the Relay Run!"

The crowd cheered even more. I couldn't help but raise my medal up triumphantly.

_Man…I haven't felt this good since I won my first Gym Battle!_ I thought ecstatically. _I could do this all day!_

I knew that wasn't an option, though. I had to get to the HQ so Cedric and I could meet face to face. Eventually, the ceremony ended, and Reia and I had exited the dome, back in our usual clothing.

"Congratulations on winning these events," the receptionist said. "You will be given Athlete Points to exchange for prizes based on your score."

The receptionists gave Reia and I a small card that had our names and Trainer IDs on them. Then they loaded points onto them equal to our scores, and they gave me a 100 point victory bonus.

Eager to see what the Exchange Service had to offer, we rushed over to the other counter and checked out the merchandise. That's when Reia froze up, staring wide-eyed at a particular item.

A Fire Stone.

"Ah, interested in the Fire Stone, are we?" the receptionist said. "It's 500 points if you want it."

Reia's expression changed to one of sadness. I couldn't help but want to help her out.

"I'll take it," I said, handing the lady my card. Reia looked at me with joy in her eyes.

"Thank you…" she said.

"It's the least I could do," I said.

I knew why Reia was eyeing the Fire Stone. She had wanted to evolve her Vulpix into a Ninetales for a long time, but could never find one of those rare stones. To finally get one…I could feel her excitement.

The receptionist handed me my card and the Fire Stone, which I handed to Reia. I could tell that she wanted to use it right away, but her Trainer instincts told her no. Lyra wasn't quite strong enough yet, and Ninetales couldn't learn any moves after it evolved. Reluctantly, she stowed it in her bag, and we headed out to meet Zuki and Calem back at the park.

* * *

Author's Note: That was a long one. I remember the first time I tried the Pokeathlon; I didn't have a clue as to what I was supposed to do, and I got creamed. But I eventually got the hang of it, and I started sweeping the entire thing. So much fun…

Anyway, the next chapter will consist of Roku and Reia witnessing the final moments of Calem and Zuki's battle, followed with them participating in the Bug-Catching contest. So, in a sense, not much going on. But, bear with me. It'll get better.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	20. Steer The Storm

Chapter 20: Steer the Storm

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

Reia and I headed out from the Pokeathlon Dome and were going back to the park to meet up with Calem and Zuki.

"Hey, I never asked you this," I said to Reia. "But did you hear any kind of unusual noise while we were competing? Like explosions or what?"

"Come to think…I did hear something like that," Reia confirmed. "What do you think it could be?"

Just then, another explosion rang out. All four of us looked around for the source of the explosion.

"It sounded like it was coming from the park!" I said. "Calem and Zuki could be in trouble!"

"Then let's hurry!" Reia replied.

I nodded, and we ran to the entrance to the park.

* * *

**Calem's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

"Umbreon, use Faint Attack!"

Umbreon dashed out from the energy battle and disappeared. Charizard looked around frantically.

"Where'd he go?!" Charizard said in awe.

"Doesn't matter! We've got to hit him!" Calem said. "Use Heat Wave, and spread it out in all directions!"

Charizard roared and sent a massive wave of extreme heat out in all directions. Umbreon appeared above him, however, and was ordered to use Dark Pulse. Charizard was nailed in the back of the head with the beam of dark energy, and he hit the ground, his Mega Evolution powers dissipating as he went unconscious.

"Dammit…Come back, Charizard," Calem scoffed as he returned the dragon-like Pokémon back to his Poke Ball.

_I can only choose one more Pokémon, _Calem thought to himself. _And it'll have to be able to do the job._

Calem pulled out his last Poke Ball and shouted, "Go, Lucario!" before lobbing it onto the field and revealing his final Pokémon.

"A smart choice, Calem," Zuki said. "However, you can't use its Mega Evolution. You might as well give up."

"Never," Calem growled. "My Lucario doesn't need Mega Evolution to defeat you!"

Lucario took a battle stance, saying, "I will not be defeated!"

"Bring it on!" Umbreon challenged.

"What the hell is going on?!"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

Reia and I ran into the National Park to find Calem and Zuki engaged in a fierce battle. It was Calem's Lucario versus Zuki's Umbreon whenever we walked in, and it looked like this was more than just a friendly sparring match. I had to step in and end it.

"What the hell is going on?!" I shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. Calem and Zuki looked at us, as well as everyone in the small crowd that was gathered around them.

"Stand down, Roku!" Calem shouted. "Let us finish this battle!"

Lucario and Umbreon had run at each other and clashed head-on, jumping back as a result.

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!" Calem ordered.

"Umbreon, Faint Attack!" Zuki countered.

Umbreon's attack launched first, striking a direct hit, but it didn't do much damage. Lucario's attack, however, dealt incredible damage, and Umbreon was breathing heavily.

"Umbreon, Moonlight!" Zuki shouted desperately.

Luckily for Zuki, Mega Charizard Y's Drought ability was still in effect, and he healed himself to near perfection.

"We can't lose! Lucario, use Close Combat!" Calem shouted.

Lucario blasted off with amazing speed and began a massive combo chain on Umbreon, hitting him at least 10 times before slamming him with a vicious uppercut to the chin. Umbreon flew up and hit the ground hard, unconscious.

"No! Umbreon!" Zuki cried.

Lucario jumped back, breathing heavily. Close Combat had lowered his defenses as a result, and if Zuki managed to land one good hit, Lucario would be finished, and Calem would lose the battle. Personally, I was rooting for Zuki. I knew that she had been a Trainer longer than Calem, but Calem had mad skills. I knew it was going to be a close battle.

"C'mon, Zuki," Calem said. "I know you have that one final Pokémon up your sleeve. Send it out, and let's get to it."

Zuki was reluctant. I wasn't aware that Zuki still had one Pokémon left, but if she was hesitating to send it out, then it must be an extremely powerful Pokémon.

"Normally, I wouldn't," Zuki finally said. "But I don't intend to lose."

Zuki pulled one last Poke Ball from her kimono, giving it a good toss while she said two words that made both Reia and I flinch.

"Go, Lugia!"

* * *

**Zareis' P.O.V.**

**Team Prime Base**

The crowd down at the National Park wasn't the only one watching the battle. Zareis sat back in his executive-style leather chair, Danish in one hand, coffee in the other, with an entertained look on his face.

"Well, this is an interesting development," Zareis said as Zuki threw out the Pokémon known as the Beast of the Sea. "I had no idea that the Legend Keepers were in possession of Lugia. Imagine that."

"Whatcha want me to do, boss?" a voice said through his speakers.

"Stand down until I tell you to, Michael," Zareis said. "When I give you the order, snag it. Got it?"

"Got it. Standing by."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

I could not help but stand in awe. The majestic being known as Lugia was standing before me, as fearsome as the pictures I've seen of it through the Internet. Actually, it was even more intimidating than that. I pulled up my Pokedex and looked up Lugia's entry.

"Lugia, the Diving Pokémon," the Pokedex said. "Lugia is said to dwell at the bottom of the sea. Its wings are so powerful that one flap will cause a 40-day storm."

I looked up at Lugia once again, not believing that I was witnessing such a powerful Pokémon with my own eyes. Calem didn't stand a chance.

"Lugia, use Aeroblast!" Zuki shouted.

"Everyone, hold on to something!" I shouted, running to grab hold of one of the massive trees that surrounded the park.

Luckily, Lugia was smart enough to create a forcefield with its psychic powers before launching the finishing blow. Lucario was slammed up against the outer wall of the forcefield, taking massive damage from Lugia's windstorm. Once the attack ended, Lucario slid down the wall, unconscious.

Calem, however, was smiling. Once the forcefield dissipated, he returned Lucario to his Poke Ball and walked over to Zuki, holding out a hand.

"Great battle," he said. "It really softened my edge. Thanks for relieving my stress."

"No problem," Zuki said, shaking his hand.

I, on the other hand, was walking over to Lugia. It looked down at me and said, "Greetings, human."

"Uh…h-hi…" I said nervously.

_What the hell were you thinking?! _I thought to myself. _Hi?! Who says that to a Legendary Pokémon?! Especially one such as Lugia?!_

"You do realize I can read your thoughts, right?" Lugia pointed out.

_Shit._

"Sorry, it's just that…" I said nervously. "I've never met a Legendary Pokémon of your caliber. It's kind of wigging me out, to be honest."

"I see…well, let it be known that you have nothing to fear," Lugia said, getting low so he could look me straight in the eyes. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"I'm Roku Kimura," I said. Then I looked at Luna, who was cowering behind me, and said, "And my frightened companion here is Luna."

"That's a very rare breed you have there, Roku," Lugia said. Then it froze. "Wait…you look familiar…"

Just then, a Poke Ball came whizzing out of the trees, exploding and trapping Lugia in its rays.

"Lugia!" I shouted.

The Poke Ball rematerialized near a Trainer with silver hair, though he was no older than me. He was wearing a blue leather trench coat with the collar popped, and he wore black jeans with black combat boots. On his head rested a pair of Go-Goggles, mainly used for traversing through areas with heavy weather.

"Hmph…and to think that this Pokémon is supposed to be overpowered…" the guy said as the Poke Ball clicked, signaling a complete capture. "What a disappointment."

"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are?!" I shouted.

"I'm the one you can't stop from taking this Pokémon," he said. "But I guess I can at least give you my name. I'm Michael, a Team Prime Admin."

"Grr…Arceus damn you…" I said. I dashed at him, fists balled. But Michael threw down a Smoke Ball, sending up a cloud of smoke. I tried to clear it away as fast as I could, but he was long gone by the time it cleared out.

"Dammit!" I shouted. I looked at Zuki, who was frozen with an "Oh, shit" look on her face.

"If they needed Lugia…then that means…" Zuki said silently. "Oh, shit…"

"Wait…you can't be talking about…" Calem said. A horrified look began to spread across his face.

"We have to inform Cedric of this."

"Inform Cedric of what?" I asked. "What are you talking about?!"

"Do you remember the Shadow Pokémon incident?" Zuki said.

Soon, a look of pure terror spread across my face. The Shadow Pokémon incident led to the creation of the ultimate Shadow Pokémon. A truly horrifying Pokémon known as XD001, or in other words, Shadow Lugia.

"If they use Shadow technology again, we're done for!" Zuki said, pulling out her P*DA.

"Wait, Zuki!" Calem said, grabbing her wrist. "If we send out a call now, it'll just cause widespread panic! Let's just wait until we get back to Ecruteak. We can tell him about it there."

Zuki looked at Calem, then said, "OK. I trust you."

Calem nodded and let go of her wrist.

"I think we all just need a good rest," I said. "We're all a little on-edge right now. A good night's sleep will fix that."

It was agreed that night that we would continue our journey tomorrow. Even if Team Prime managed to steal a Pokémon from our grasp, we didn't know their motives yet. I figured it would be best if we gathered a little more intel on them before just assuming that they're going to bring back XD001.

As I rest my head on the soft grass, these thoughts continued to race through my head. But as soon as Luna chose to rest beside me, as I felt her warmth, those thoughts left me, and I went into a deep sleep.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

Reia sat up and yawned loudly. She looked around and noticed that everyone else was still sleeping. She looked down at Lyra, who was laying on her waist and had woken up once Reia sat up. She yawned and stretched out.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Reia said caringly.

Lyra looked at her and said, "Morning."

Reia looked at Roku and Luna, who were laying close to each other, and thought she'd wake him up to get an early start to Ecruteak City.

"Hey, Roku," she said. "Wake up!"

No reply.

"Roku, wake up! We've got to get moving!" Reia said, giving him a firm shake. Still no reply.

"Great…good time to make contact with Celestrix," she said, irritated.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

I opened my eyes to find myself back in the dream world.

"Great…" I said to myself.

"Roku?"

I looked down. Luna was looking off into the distance.

_Looks like she was able to join me in this one,_ I thought to myself.

"Where are we?" she said, looking up at me.

"We're in a dream, Luna," I said. "Celestrix must have brought us both here."

"For a very good reason," a familiar voice said.

The air in front of me rippled, and Celestrix shimmered into view.

"Good to see you, too," I said. "What do you need this time?"

"You make me sound like an unwanted family member," Celestrix said. "It's actually kind of hurtful…"

"Sorry, I guess I'm a little on-edge from a few events that happened last night," I said apologetically. "One of our Pokémon was stolen from us."

"Yes, Argyra," Celestrix said. "You know him as Lugia."

"Right," I said. "We think that Team Prime might be trying to bring back the Shadow Pokémon initiative."

"Oh, no…" Celestrix said nervously. "That means I'll have to reopen the Purification statues."

"Celestrix, you know something about this?" I asked.

"Yes…it was the result of tapping into our power for the first time," Celestrix explained. "Team Prime created an entirely separate branch known as 'Cipher' solely for the research on Shadow energy."

"Let me guess: Shihado's energy was used to rip Pokémon away from their Trainers?" I said.

"Correct," Celestrix confirmed. "And I used my energy to help the Trainers who wanted to help those poor Pokémon purify their hearts by creating Purification statues."

"So…what's our course of action, Celestrix?" I asked. "How can we stop them from recreating Shadow Pokémon?"

"This also has to do with our current objective to stop Team Prime from releasing Shihado," Celestrix said. "We must obtain the Pokémon of the Dark Covenant to prevent Zareis from completing his research."

"Great…more Pokémon to capture," I said.

"You must ask the human you call Calem to give you his Snag Machine," Celestrix instructed. "Only then will you be able to separate the Pokémon of the Dark Covenant from Team Prime."

"OK," I said. "Now let us go. I've got somewhere to go."

"Right," Celestrix said, somewhat disappointed. "Tell your mother I said hi."

With that, Celestrix vanished, and Luna and I slipped away from the dream.

* * *

Author's Note: Hahaha…FILLER CHAPTER! Sorry for lying so much, but I couldn't help myself. Shadow Pokémon are just so AWESOME! Besides, they're dark, in a way. Shihado could be the Shadow Pokémon of all Shadow Pokémon!

Anyway, right now I'm just bored. Not much to do anymore, but this next chapter WILL be the Bug Catching Contest, like I promised. So just bear with me.

And that concludes my 20th chapter! Someone bring out the party favors! Nah, just kidding.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	21. Ant Trap

Chapter 21: Ant Trap

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

My eyes opened to the sight of Reia's face extremely close to mine.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said in a mock motherly voice.

"Very funny," I scoffed.

Reia lifted her head and I sat up, my back stiff from sleeping on the ground. I made a note to myself to grab a bench next time I had the chance. Luna woke up, too, and was stretching her legs.

"So what did you and the mystic Dragon Pokémon talk about this time?" Reia asked.

"She explained the whole 'Shadow Pokémon' dilemma," I explained. "It appears that we not only need to capture the Pokémon of the Core Covenant before Zareis does, we also have to snag the Pokémon of the Dark Covenant in order to prevent Team Prime from utilizing Shadow Pokémon."

"I see…" Reia said vexingly. "Looks like our job's gonna be a lot harder."

"Wait, our?" I said. "No. Celestrix put me in charge of gathering these Pokémon, and I intend to without losing anyone. I can't risk losing a friend."

"Oh, please, Roku," Reia said, punching me in the arm. "I'm a more experienced Trainer than you are, and I can definitely hold my own in a fight."

"Hey, I'm just kidding!" I said. "Geez, you're easy. Besides, I'm gonna need a partner to help me catch these Pokémon."

"You've already got one," Luna said.

"I mean a human partner, smart one," I replied.

"You know I'm with you until the end," Reia said. "We've come this far."

"There's something else," I said, getting back to my dream. "When Celestrix left, she told me to tell my mother she said 'hi'."

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Reia said. "If she made contact with you, that means you were the one that she was talking about before you were born."

"Then that means…" I said, knowing exactly what Reia was getting at. "My mother was a Legend Keeper."

"Bingo," Reia said. "But I thought you already knew. Are you saying she never even told you who she used to be?"

"No, she never even mentioned them to me," I replied. "But…she always was able to read me like an open book."

"Yeah, but that's just parental instinct," Reia said. "Your mom is able to speak to Pokémon. I'm surprised that she would want to keep you from your destiny."

"Being a Legend Keeper wasn't my destiny," I said defiantly. "If it was my destiny, my mom would enforce it. She wouldn't keep me sheltered from it."

That's when I decided to call my mother and get the truth for myself. I pulled up my Contacts list and dialed in Mom's number.

After a few rings, she answered with a polite "Hello?"

"Mom, why didn't you tell me that you were a Legend Keeper?" I asked.

She seemed shocked at my question. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, you know you can't hide it from me," I pressed.

"Roku, I don't know what you're talking about," she replied.

"Stop dancing around the question!" I snapped, my rage taking over. "Why else would I be able to speak with Celestrix?!"

Mom looked at me like she just got slapped in the face. I'll admit, I was feeling pretty bad at the moment. But I hated liars over almost everything, and I felt so deceived.

"Well, I guess there's no point in hiding the truth," she finally said. "Yes, I was a Legend Keeper. And I didn't want you to experience the same dangers, so I wanted to wait until you were old enough."

"And the Celestrix bit?" I pressed. "Is that also true?"

"Yes," she admitted. "I was the one who she relayed her message to. To think those Pokémon actually exist…it puts ice in your veins, doesn't it?"

"You still could've told me," I said, my anger leaving my body. "It would've been a lot easier on the both of us."

"Well…there's something else," Mom said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Roku…" she said. "Your father's alive."

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias paced around her den, placing another call. Roku hadn't answered the first few times she rang him up, and she was starting to get worried and impatient.

"What the hell could he be doing that is so important?" she asked herself. "Usually he'd answer no matter what he was doing."

Latias rolled the P*DA around in her hand. Cedric had bought one so Latias wouldn't have to use his every time she wanted to speak to her friend. Now she wasn't even able to use it!

"Hmm…perhaps I should just wait a little while longer," she decided. Latias sat down and fidgeted with the settings of her P*DA, wanting to figure out exactly what it could do.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

"Wh-what?" I stuttered. "Run that by me again!"

"Your father's alive," she repeated. "He's living in a region far to the south. He didn't want you to know about the Legend Keepers either, so he faked his death and flew to the Quorra region."

I couldn't believe what she was saying. My father, who was apparently killed ten years ago, is alive, all because of a stupid secret.

"…I don't have anything else to say to you," I said harshly.

"Roku, wa-"

Mom's sentence was cut off by my hanging up. I felt the rage boiling up in my gut. I stormed off into the forest, with Reia shouting, "Roku, wait!"

I couldn't stop. Not until I had blown off steam. A few hours later, I noticed that Luna had followed me into the forest, so I stopped and looked at her.

"Go back to Reia," I said. "You don't need to be here."

"No," she said defiantly. "We stick together, no matter what."

"I am your Trainer, Luna!" I shouted. "Now, Arceus dammit, get out of here!"

Luna's face turned to one of shock and sadness.

"Fine," she said. "Don't expect me to come back."

With that, Luna ran off, tearing her Lunar Charm off her neck and throwing it on the ground.

I immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I had pretty much just told my partner to shove off and take a hike. I picked up the Lunar Charm and started to run after her, but then I realized how far I had actually gone in.

I had no idea where I was.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

Hours had passed since Roku ran off, and Reia, not to mention Calem, Zuki, and all of Roku's Pokémon, were worried about him.

"So, remind me why the dipwad ran off into the forest?" Calem said, trying to keep his cool attitude. "He does realize we need to get to Ecruteak, right?"

"I'm sure he'll be back," Reia said reassuringly. "Roku usually doesn't stay mad for long."

Soon, they heard a rustling in the bushes. The group sighed with relief when they saw that it was only Luna.

"Luna! Thank Arceus!" Zuki said. "Where's Roku?"

"Who cares?" Luna snapped, "He can go die in a hole, for all I care." Then she stormed off.

Reia blanched. Why the sudden hostility? Reia couldn't help but think Roku had snapped at Luna somewhere in the forest. She also noticed that the Lunar Charm was missing.

_He must have really been mad,_ she thought.

Reia felt a rush of courage wash through her bloodstream, and she gathered hers and Roku's Pokémon and walked into the forest, determined to find her friend.

"Great, now she's lost it," Calem scoffed.

"C'mon, Calem," Zuki said, gathering her Poke Balls. "We have to go after him."

Zuki followed Reia into the forest. Calem hung back for a bit, then cursed to himself and followed Zuki.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

_Gah…where the hell is the exit?!_ I thought to myself. _This forest seems endless!_

I had wandered pretty far in since my rage spell, and it had worn off since then. I needed to find a way out of this forest before nightfall, or I was toast.

Which needed to be soon, 'cause I could already see the sun begin to set.

"Damn, how long have I been in here?" I asked myself.

Suddenly, I realized I was walking on nothing.

"Ah, crap," I said out loud.

I fell at least 5 feet before landing on dirt and sliding to the bottom of the pit. I soon realized that I had fallen in a Trapinch trap. The small Ant Pit Pokémon flowed out of the dirt in large numbers, eager to feast on their newfound prey.

I looked around the pit for anything that could help me, but I found nothing. I only had one option left, and I was about to use it, but I realized that I hadn't even picked up my Pokémon after I woke up.

_Dammit…and I told my only defense to screw off, _I thought sadly. _Looks like I'll have to do something I've never done before._

I was just about to call for help when a Trapinch clamped down on my leg.

"GAAAAAH!"

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

"GAAAAAH!"

Reia looked up as a sharp scream pierced the air. She couldn't help but feel like something was wrong.

"That sounded like Roku!" Zuki said.

"C'mon! We have to go find him!" Reia said, determined. The group ran in the direction that Roku's voice was coming from.

* * *

**Luna's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

Luna was still steaming mad. Roku had shoved her off like yesterday's garbage, and what made matters worse was that he snapped at her. His partner Pokémon.

_And yet…_she thought. _I can't stop thinking about him. He just kept wandering farther in…_

Luna punched the ground. She hated Roku, yet she still loved him as a Trainer. HER Trainer. The feelings swirling around inside her head just made her angrier.

Suddenly, she heard a sharp scream piercing through the forest. A large amount of Pidgey and Spearow emerged from the trees and flew off, spooked by the sound.

"That scream…there's no mistaking it!" she said to herself. "Roku's in danger!"

She got up to go and find her friend, but the anger inside her stopped her one last time. Roku obviously didn't care about her anymore, so why should she help?

_Because it wasn't him. He was just angry._

"Luna! Reia! Anybody! HELP!"

Those next words gave Luna the decision she needed. Luna gritted her teeth and bolted into the forest, using Quick Attack to help her move faster.

_Hold on just a little longer, Roku!_ Luna thought. _I'm on my way!_

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

"Luna! Reia! Anybody! HELP!"

The Trapinch were closing in pretty fast. I looked around again for anything else that could get me out of this situation. But the loose sand and the wound in my leg prevented me from moving.

_Please, Arceus…_I prayed. _Please let someone come quick…I don't want it to end, not like this!_

"Roku!"

I looked up and gasped.

"Luna!"

My partner was standing over me like a black angel straight from the Plane of Origin. I couldn't have been happier to see her.

"Man, am I glad to see you!" I said, relieved. "Listen, I'm sorry for-"

"You can apologize later!" Luna shouted. "I'll take my Lunar Charm back now, if you don't mind!"

I nodded and pulled the charm from my pocket, retying the knot before tossing it up. Luna dashed out into the air and grabbed it, putting it back in its rightful place around her neck. It began to glow, and Luna's rings began to glow with even more intensity than what she originally had from the moon's aura.

"Roku! Can you move?" Luna asked once she had landed.

"I tried, but they got my leg pretty good," I said, attempting to get up. "I think I can try again, though."

I put all of my energy into my legs to try and get them to cooperate with the rest of my body. Eventually, I was able to get up onto my feet, although I was still shaking. I looked off to the side to see something brown poking out of the sand. I hobbled over to it and gave it a good tug, unsheathing a massive sword from the sand.

"Whoa…" I said, eyes wide with amazement.

"Whoa! Where'd you find that?!" Luna shouted once she saw the large blade.

"I just pulled it from the sand!" I said, twirling it around. "This thing's pretty lightweight for something so large."

You should've seen this thing. The blade had to be at least 5-feet in length, and it wasn't even rusted over! It looked like it was freshly forged and polished. The hilt was magnificent; it had 4 bronze prongs sticking out with a glowing blue gem in the center. Truly a deadly work of art.

I stepped up beside Luna and got into a battle stance.

"You're not planning on using that thing, are you?!" Luna said worriedly.

"Don't worry!" I replied. "I'll only use it if needed!"

Just then, a Trapinch lashed out at me with his cartoon-like jaws. I took a swing and hit it hard enough to send it flying into another group of Trapinch. It was knocked out upon impact.

"Wow…that hit should've killed it…" I said in astonishment. "Yet it just knocked it out."

"Roku!"

I looked up to see Reia, Calem, and Zuki standing above the pit, Reia with a horrified look on her face.

"Where the hell have you been hiding that?!" Reia said, pointing at my sword.

"I'll explain later!" I responded. "Do you have my belt?"

Reia pulled my belt off of her shoulder and tossed it to me. I caught it and released my Pokémon from their Poke Balls. All at once, Braixen, Riolu, and Luna dashed into the swarm of Trapinch, all three bowling over a large number of them with Quick Attack alone.

"How the hell did you end up here in the first place, Roku?!" Braixen asked as he smashed into another group with Flame Charge.

"I, uh…kind of got side-tracked," I said sheepishly. "I'll explain everything as soon as we get out of here."

"Which should be soon," Riolu said cockily as he smashed a Trapinch's face in with Force Palm.

Suddenly, I felt a massive rumble emanate from the ground below. It sounded like something big was approaching us from under our feet.

"Everyone, step back from the center!" I said, hobbling to the edge of the pit.

My Pokémon ran off to the edge right as a massive green dragon-like creature exploded from the sand. It flapped its wings and gave out a monstrous roar. I placed my hands over my ears in response; that cry along with the speed of the wing vibrations made my ears want to split open.

"That's a Flygon!" Calem shouted over the droning noise. "But how did it get here?! They're usually only found in Hoenn and Kalos!"

I pulled out my Pokedex and looked up Flygon's entry.

"Flygon, the Mystic Pokémon, and the evolved form of Vibrava. Also known as the "Desert Spirit", Flygon hides itself by flapping its wings at supersonic speeds to kick up a sandstorm. The red shields over its eyes protect it from the sandstorms it creates."

The Pokedex listed Flygon as a Dragon- and Ground-type Pokémon, which was a pretty odd combination. That just made it even more susceptible to Ice-type moves. Aside from that, Flygon's offensive capabilities were phenomenal, as well as it's Speed. It appeared that its only weakness was its somewhat low defenses.

"Roku! Hold on!" Zuki shouted. "We'll get you out of there!"

I looked up at the Flygon. Even through the sandstorm, I could see its eyes. Almost immediately after I locked eyes with it, I could sense that something was wrong with it.

Then, it spoke.

"P-please…defeat me…before it's too late…" she said, her voice riddled with pain.

_"I thought I got rid of you! Begone!"_ a deeper, darker voice said.

Flygon released a Dragon Breath attack in my direction. I barely managed to dodge the attack, feeling the plume of sand cut into my injured leg.

After I hit the ground, I looked back at Flygon. This Pokémon needed my help, or else it was going to lose itself to the Shadow essence that was implanted in it.

I gritted my teeth and stood up, raising my sword and letting out a short battle cry before running into the eye of the storm.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for this update. I was stuck in an extremely deep rut for the past week or so. That, and my computer at home decided to quit on me, so now I have to find out what's wrong with it so I can fix it.

Anyway, through the past week, I've decided to shove the whole Bug Catching contest idea out the window. So, sorry. No catching any Bug Pokémon for the group.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	22. Dragon Slayer

Chapter 22: Dragon Slayer

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

"HaaaaAAAAAH!"

I ran forward with as much courage and strength as I could work up and jumped up, swinging my sword through the air, slicing with all of my might. The Flygon took a nasty slice across the chest, crying out in pain and falling to the ground. The sandstorm eventually died out, revealing the Flygon standing on her hind legs, in a battle stance, without a single scratch on her.

"_You think that a dull sword is going to stop me?!" _the shadow part of Flygon hissed. _"Pathetic!"_

"You haven't seen the extent of my power yet, Shadow Pokémon," I said with clenched teeth. "You will be vanquished!"

I ran at the Flygon, sword dragging the ground, and I spun around once I reached her, giving her a nice slash across the face, smashing the shields that protected her eyes. Then I got low and kicked up a cloud of sand into her exposed eyes.

"_Gyaah!"_ she shouted, crying in pain and rubbing her eyes.

"Luna! Braixen! Riolu!" I shouted, calling them to my side. "Let's show this Shadow Pokémon the true extent of our power! SHOW NO MERCY!"

Luna launched a Swift attack, Braixen ran forward with Flame Charge, and Riolu followed with Force Palm. All three attacks hit with amazing force, sending Flygon reeling into the side of the pit, disappearing into the sand.

"Whoa…" Riolu said, aghast. "I didn't know I could hit that hard…"

"You're not the only one who hit her, genius," Braixen scoffed.

Just then, Flygon burst out of the sand, smashing all three of my Pokémon with a Dragon Tail attack. The team flew back into the side of the pit, knocked out.

"No!" I shouted, rushing to their side. "Are you guys OK?!"

None of them answered, but they were still breathing, which made me sigh with relief. Then I stood up and faced Flygon, my adrenaline pumping. I could feel the rage boiling up.

"You're gonna pay for that," I said before dashing forward, sword raised.

Flygon stood strong, her tail up in a defensive stance. I sliced, only to be blocked by the four blades on her tail. We engaged in a massive swordfight, and I could notice that the pain from my injured leg had totally left me, and I was fighting with no knowledge that any injury had been inflicted on me.

Knowing this, I almost lost focus. Flygon swept her tail at my feet, tripping me to the ground. She raised her tail and stabbed it at the ground, but not after I had already rolled out of the way.

"_Your time has come to an end!" _she shouted in aggravation. _"Now DIE!"_

"I'm not done yet!" I said, deflecting her tail away from me. I somersaulted forward and sent my sword upwards, stabbing it through her chest.

"_GYAAAAAH!"_ she screamed as the sword pierced her chest. Right then, something odd happened. A black aura began to drain into the blade of the sword. The force of the energy was almost enough to make me lose balance. Eventually, the aura was drained, and I was shot back into the wall.

"Ughh…" I groaned, sitting up and rubbing my head. "What was that?"

The sword started to glow with the same aura that had been drained from Flygon. I felt like it was going to explode, and so I thrust it upward, the energy exploding out of it and dissipating into thin air.

"Huh…whoa…" I said, my thought train completely crashed.

"Roku! Roku!"

I snapped out of my trance and looked up at Reia, who was trying to get my attention.

"Have you found a way to get me out of this thing yet?!" I shouted.

"Move," Calem said, pulling out his Poke Ball and releasing his Charizard.

"Charizard, get my friend and his Pokémon out of the pit, would you?" Calem said calmly.

"On it," Charizard said, dropping into the pit and landing beside me. I returned my team to their Poke Balls and jumped up on to Charizard's back. He flapped his wings and lifted me out of the pit and onto the grass.

"Oh, Roku!" Reia said, running up and hugging me after I got off of Charizard's back. "I'm so glad you're safe!" Then she slapped me across the face and said, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Oy, don't get pissed at me!" I shouted back. "You didn't have to come for me, you know."

"Friends help each other, no matter what," Zuki said wisely. "We would've sensed that something was wrong and come to look for you anyway."

I nodded and hugged both of them. "Either way, I'm glad you did. If you hadn't, I'd be Trapinch poop."

"Urrgh…"

My attention turned back to the pit, where the Flygon was waking up.

"What?!" I shouted, pulling up my sword. "I thought she was dead!"

Flygon flew up and out of the pit, landing in front of me. She looked me straight in the eyes, before bowing down in front of me.

"Thank you for saving me," she said. "The Shadow essence almost took me over. If you hadn't had the courage to stand up to me, who knows what might have happened."

"Uh…no problem," I said leerily.

"I'm surprised you can understand me," Flygon said curiously. "Why is that?"

"It's something I've been able to do since I was a kid," I explained. "We were heading to Ecruteak before I got sidetracked and ran out here."

"Ecruteak, eh?" Flygon said. "If you want, I can get you there quickly."

"That's kind of you, but we need to move on our own," Calem said. "However, if you could get us out of the forest, that'd be great."

"Very well," Flygon said, kneeling down. "Hop up."

The four of us got onto Flygon's back. "Hold on," she yelled, before flapping her wings and airlifting us out of the forest.

* * *

**Zareis' P.O.V.**

**Team Prime Base**

Michael walked into the boss's room, completely unafraid. He didn't understand why the admins were so afraid of Zareis. To Michael, he was simply a commanding officer, not a master.

"Michael," Zareis said as Michael entered the room. "I assume the snag was successful?"

Michael dropped the Poke Ball on Zareis' desk.

"Wonderful…" Zareis said. "With Lugia in our grasp again, we can restart the Shadow Pokémon initiative with even more power!"

"You got what you wanted, Zareis," Michael said. "Now let my Pokémon go."

Zareis turned around in his chair, an evil smile on his face.

"But we're not even finished yet, my faithful admin," Zareis said cruelly.

"I am NOT your admin!" Michael snapped. "Cipher wasn't my idea! You just forced my team into it!"

"Your team wanted to be in the Cipher organization!" Zareis shot back. "YOU were the only one who seemed to not care about world domination!"

"Dominating the world by tearing Pokémon away from their Trainers?!" Michael shouted. "Pokémon were not meant to be tools of war! The way you treat them is as wrong as it gets!"

"Darkrai, get this insolent little worm out of my sight now," Zareis said, turning back around. "I've had enough of his defiance."

"Don't you turn your back on me, Zareis!" Michael shouted. Then he crumpled to the floor as Darkrai's touch put him to sleep instantly.

"It's a shame to waste good Trainers like this," Darkrai said.

"His skills are impressive, but his heart is weak," Zareis said. "I have no time for bleeding hearts like him. Take him to the dungeon with his Pokémon."

"Yes, master," Darkrai said obediently, picking Michael up and hefting him out of Zareis' office.

"Soon, the world will be flooded with Shadow Pokémon once again, just like you wanted, master," Zareis said to himself.

"_Very well done, Zareis,"_ said a dark voice inside Zareis' head. _"We have the Pokémon that will help us realize our goals."_

"This world will be plunged into darkness," Zareis said. "So that you may roam free once more!"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

"OW!"

I screamed out in pain a little as Zuki was tending to the wound on my leg.

"Take it easy, would ya?!" I shouted.

"Well, what'd you expect it to feel like?!" Zuki shot back. "Rainbows and Butterfrees?!"

As much as I wanted to fling my other leg up and kick Zuki in the face, I was actually glad to see her. After the whole fiasco with the Trapinch death pit, the Flygon flew us back to the park, for I requested that we take the road to Ecruteak on foot. My leg wasn't really that bad; it was just an ugly bite mark that drew a bit of blood. Luckily, Trapinch bites weren't poisonous, so all Zuki really had to do was stitch up the wound and apply a pain-killer to it. The Trapinch didn't bother to tear any flesh off of my calf, so I guess he just wanted a taste.

_Heh, he got a taste of my sword anyway,_ I thought to myself. _He got what he deserved._

"And…done!"

Zuki clipped the string from the needle and tied it off. I lifted up my leg and tried to move it; it responded correctly. But when I stood up and tried to walk, I fell flat on my face.

"Take it easy for a little bit, Roku," Zuki said. "The pain killer will make your leg unresponsive for 24 hours. We'll have to leave in two days."

"Alright," I said calmly. I fell back onto the bench and decided to turn in for the night.

* * *

_Later that night…_

The same rainbow-colored scenery. The air of mystery.

Yup, this was a dream.

"Did you like my gift?" said an all too familiar voice.

Celestrix appeared before me once again.

"What do you mean by 'gift'?" I asked nervously. Then I pulled the sword off of my back. "You mean this?"

"Yes," Celestrix replied, pulling a similar sword off her own back. "I had forged two of them in the case that you might have needed one. It was a bit too soon, but I could sense that you were in trouble, so I sent it to you."

"This sword…" I said, twirling it around flawlessly. "How can I wield it so flawlessly? And what kind of power does it actually hold?"

"I made it specifically for you, Roku," Celestrix explained. "The sword can be wielded by one who is pure of heart, and only that who wields it first. In the hands of the unworthy, it is the weight of a planet. But in your hands, it is as light as a Staraptor's feather."

I sheathed it and said, "OK, makes sense. But what about the aura-draining properties?"

"The sword was infused with my own energy," Celestrix continued. "It was meant to reverse the black aura inside any Pokémon and drain it, causing it to dissipate into the air. It's the opposite of my brother's weaponry."

"So, in a sense, I can use this to take Shihado down," I said. "But…when I fought the Flygon, the sword left no sign of injury. Why is that?"

"Well, you had no intention of taking the lives of those Pokémon, did you?" Celestrix asked.

"Of course not, but I didn't think that they were immune to steel," I said, then it hit me. "It's not made of steel, is it?"

"What did you expect from a Legendary Pokémon?" Celestrix said, laughing softly. "That sword is made from hardened energy. MY energy. The sword has the power to smite humans, that much is true. But Pokémon cannot be smote by it. In a sense, it's just like using a move on any Pokémon you attack with it."

That was kind of good, in a way.

"I have no intention of fighting Pokémon myself," I said. "That's just inhumane."

"I realize your love for Pokémon," Celestrix sighed. "But Shadow Pokémon are a different story. If they are not purified, we can't do anything to save them. It has to be you who fights them."

Celestrix was right. The sword had the power to dispel and vanquish the Shadow essence. As much as I hated to admit it, the only way to destroy the Shadow Pokémon initiative was to destroy the essence medieval style; with my sword held high and my inner hero pushing itself forward in my soul.

"…I understand," I said sullenly. "By the way, while I'm here…"

"You want me to heal your injured leg, don't you?" Celestrix said, cocking an eyebrow.

I laughed a little and said, "Well, you are technically an omnipotent being. Can't you transmit your energy here so I don't have to wait to receive my badge?"

Celestrix faked an irritated sigh and fired a beam of soft white energy at my leg. I could feel its soft warmth permeate my entire body, and within seconds, it was like nothing had ever happened in the first place.

"Thank you," I said, before she let me back into the real world.

* * *

_That morning…_

I woke up to see a park ranger standing over me with a worried look on his face.

"Hey, you're awake!" he said as I lifted my head up. Luna was at my feet, resting on her laurels and looking at me.

"Have fun in lala land again?" she joked.

"Even better," I said, pulling up my pant leg. Luna gasped once she saw that my leg had been completely healed. There wasn't even a scar!

"How…?!" She gasped in surprise.

"Courtesy of the omnipotent being known as Celestrix," I said, grinning. "By the way, where's the rest of the gang?"

"They went back to Goldenrod to get some supplies," she said. "They should be back any second."

Right once she said that, the group came flying in on Charizard's back, in which Calem had Mega Evolved to compensate for the extra weight. Despite being a majorly strong Pokémon, Charizard was only 5' 7". Hell, _I_ was taller than him.

Once they landed, Charizard's energy flowed back into the Key Stone on Calem's Mega Ring, transforming Charizard back to his normal form.

"'Sup, guys?" I said, hopping off the bench and walking up to them.

"Hey, you shouldn't be walking around!" Zuki said.

I smiled and lifted my pant leg again, causing the three of them to gasp.

"I'm perfectly fine," I said. "Now, come on! We gotta hit the road!"

"Hold on, Trainers!" The ranger said. "The Bug Catching contest is on today. Would you like to participate? The winner gets a Sun Stone and keeps the last Bug Pokémon they caught."

"Hmm…sounds interesting," I said, looking at Reia. "Want to do it?"

Reia thought for a bit, then said, "Ah, what the hell? Let's do it."

* * *

Author's Note: OK, so maybe I lied a bit when I said I wasn't gonna do the contest. But Reia needed another Pokémon in her team, and I pretty much just winged it for this chapter. If it sucks, I'll understand. But it will get better, trust me.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	23. The Bug-Catching Contest

Chapter 23: The Bug-Catching Contest

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

"OK, Trainers! Let's get today's contest started!"

A few hours later, the rest of the contestants had entered, and the contest was ready to start. There were ten of us in total; Calem and Zuki decided to sit this one out. Most of the contestants were Bug Catchers, but I did see a couple of girls who weren't afraid of Bug-type Pokémon, which was very uncommon, especially in Johto.

"For those of you who are new to the contest, your task is simple!" the announcer shouted. "Using the 6 Park Balls you were provided with, you will capture a Bug-type Pokémon for comparison with the other competitors. The biggest Bug Pokémon wins!"

We were allowed to take at least one Pokémon with us as a partner. I looked down at Luna and nodded. She returned the gesture with a confident smile.

"You may have beaten me in the Pokeathlon," Reia said confidently. "But you're not gonna get lucky again!"

"Bring it on!" I shot back with a smile.

"OK, let's get this show on the road!" the announcer said, holding up the starting pistol. "Three…two…one…GO!"

Once we heard the bang of the starting gun, we ran off into the forest to root around for Pokémon. Reia caught some attention immediately, running up to the tree line and jumping into the trees.

"Sheesh…monkey," I said to myself.

Luna and I ran farther in, and the first time we searched the bushes, a nice, plump Spinarak jumped out at us.

"OK, Luna! Nail it with Swift!" I shouted.

Luna took the frontlines and slammed the Spinarak with the infamous star attack, throwing it against a tree. I lobbed a Park Ball at it, hitting it and pulling it into the virtual area. Three wiggles later, it clicked, signaling a complete capture.

"Alright! That was a nice catch!" I complimented myself, picking up the Ball.

Suddenly, a sharp green flash pierced my peripheral vision. I looked over to my left to see a green Bug Pokémon jump into the overgrowth.

"Whoa! Was that a Scyther?!" I asked myself.

"Whatever it was, it was massive!" Luna said, awe-struck. "We gotta catch up to it!"

I nodded and ran off in the direction the Scyther was headed.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

WHOOSH!

Reia felt a sharp wind blow by her, surprising her enough to fall out of the tree she was perched in.

"Hey, you all right?!" Lyra said, jumping down after Reia and landing beside her.

"What just blew by us?" Reia asked, rubbing her sore head.

"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now," Lyra said, looking around. "C'mon, let's keep looking."

The two got up and started walking when they heard someone calling Reia's name. She whirled around to see Roku and Luna running up to them.

"Hey, Roku," Lyra said. "Find anything?"

"Yeah, and we're still after it," Roku said, looking around. "Say, you wouldn't have happened to see a Scyther fly past here, would you?"

"You saw it too?" Reia said.

"Yeah, that's what we're after," Roku said. "C'mon, let's go after it!"

The two nodded, forming a temporary alliance in terms of the competition, and ran off after the Bug Pokémon that caught their eye.

* * *

**Gordon's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

"Gahh…where's that damn Scyther?!"

Gordon continued to search for the Pokémon he wanted to call his new partner. He knew that Scyther would be a piece of cake in his level, but if he managed to evolve it into Scizor, he could have a Pokémon to help him unlock the secrets of Mega Evolution.

Suddenly, he stopped cold, for he heard a voice that made the rage boil up inside him.

"C'mon, let's go after it!"

Gordon poked his head through the trees and saw the two Trainers that had tricked him at the Slowpoke Well. An evil grin spread across his face.

"Looks like I'll be getting my revenge after all…" he said to himself before backing into the forest.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park Forest**

Reia and I had run off to search for the Scyther we both wanted so badly. I could already tell that we were only teaming up until we had found and captured the Scyther. After that, it would be a battle to determine who got to keep it.

_And if it comes to that, _I thought to myself, _I won't lose._

We kept running until we had reached a decent sized clearing. Standing there was the Scyther we had been running after, blades out in a battle stance.

"OK, I'll make this easy for you noobs," Scyther scoffed. "One of you will fight me, one at a time. But are you going to be able to catch me?"

I stepped up and said, "It's not common for a wild Pokémon to challenge a human, let alone someone like me. I will be your first opponent."

Luna stepped up and went into a battle stance.

"Prepare to lose!" Luna challenged.

The Scyther went into a stance similar to that of a ninja and said, "Go ahead. Show me what you've got!"

Luna wasted no time at all, immediately streaking towards Scyther with a Quick Attack. But Scyther nimbly sidestepped the attack and whirled around, using Fury Cutter with a direct hit to Luna's spine. She screamed out in pain, the attack nearly crippling her. Since Luna was a Dark-type Pokémon, she was weak to Bug-type moves, which meant that we were at a serious disadvantage.

Luna stood up and turned to face Scyther, breathing heavily and shaking slightly.

"You may have gotten me with that last attack, but that's not gonna happen again!" she shouted confidently before dashing at him with another Quick Attack. Scyther got ready to hit her with another Fury Cutter, but before he could swing, Luna rolled to the side and fired a Swift attack, dealing some considerable damage to the unsuspecting Bug Pokémon.

"Gah! Why you little...!" Scyther cursed before dashing at Luna with a Quick Attack of his own. Luna smirked and did the same. It was pretty much a giant game of chicken. But the two didn't look like they were going to let up anytime soon.

I growled to myself. Right now, I was pretty much wasting time, and Luna was practically fighting by herself. Besides, as far as I saw it, Reia needed the Scyther more than I did. I eventually decided to give up.

"Luna, fall back," I said reluctantly.

Luna whirled around and looked at me. "What?!"

BAM! Luna was then struck by Scyther's Quick Attack, sliding back to me.

"Well,I didn't mean literally, but, whatever," I joked.

Luna looked back up at me, giving me a look that would kill if it had the chance. Then she slumped to the ground, unconscious. I returned my fallen partner to her Poke Ball and looked at Reia.

"Well, looks like I'm out of the competition," I said to her, cracking a smile as I did it. "Think you'll be able to catch it?"

Reia lightly pushed me aside and said, "Step aside and let a pro show you how its done."

Reia stepped up in front of me, sending her partner into battle. As hard as it was to admit, Reia had a better advantage than me. Hell, I didn't even have an advantage.

_You better seal this capture, or you're gonna feel my disappointment, _I thought to myself.

Lyra started the battle by throwing a Confuse Ray into the Scyther's face, causing it to stumble around like a drunken master. Lyra continued the onslaught with many Ember attacks, scorching the Bug Pokémon until he was on the ground, almost fainted. Reia wasted no time in throwing a Park Ball at the Scyther, getting a complete capture without any trouble. Reia walked up and claimed her prize.

"And you were having trouble with this one," Reia bragged. "Pathetic."

"Well, I wasn't exactly in the same predicament as you," I huffed. "You were using a Fire-type, you cheater."

"Well, well! Looks like you just made my job easier!"

Reia and I looked on as a familiar burly figure emerged from the bushes.

"Gordon!" I shouted, stepping back. "What do you want?!"

"Well, first and foremost, I'd like to ring your little necks, but I'll spare you if your girlfriend there gives up the Scyther," Gordon said casually.

I stepped in front of her and drew my sword, saying, "You'll have to get past me first."

Gordon laughed and cracked his knuckles. "I was waitin' for an excuse to beat up a little kid! Even better, because it's you!"

I then had at least 300 pounds of pure muscle charging at me. I ran at him as well, not worrying about getting smeared into the ground. All I could think about was protecting Reia at all costs.

I slid under him, jumping back up and connecting my hilt to the back of his head. The behemoth slammed into the ground face first, knocked out.

"Damn, if I knew it was gonna be this easy, I would've done this a long time ago," I scoffed, sheathing my sword.

"Where in the hell did you learn to fight with a sword?!" Reia asked, dumbstruck.

"Latias and I actually used to spar before she left," I explained. "I got pretty good at it."

All Reia could do was give me an odd look. It was almost like she was scared of me.

"C'mon, if I was gonna kill you, I would've done it already," I said. "Anyway, the memo for the end of the contest came across already. We should head back."

Reia nodded, and we made our way out of the forest and back to the park fountain.

* * *

_Later..._

"Alright, contestants!" the announcer boomed. "Time to announce the winner!"

After the judges were finished comparing the Pokémon the contestants had captured, we stood in front of the park fountain, awaiting the announcement for the winner.

"Third place goes to Kyle with his whopper of a Weedle!"

The Bug Catcher waved his hand, disappointed that he only got third, but happy that he even placed at all.

"Second place goes to Roku and his sultry Spinarak!"

Damn. Second Place. Oh, well. I saw that one coming, especially since Reia managed to capture a Scyther. I waved my arm and accepted the ruling.

"And finally, the winner of today's contest with a massive Scyther...Reia!"

As soon as those words were shouted, I already knew that Reia was going to eat her heart out. She stepped out and waved real big, putting on a victorious smile. I shook my head, thinking, _you are so pathetic._

Oh well. I probably would've done the same thing.

Reia got a shiny medal and a Sun Stone, which was mostly used to evolve certain Bug Pokémon. Pretty typical for a Bug Catching competition. After the festivities were over, we rested for the night and planned on heading out the next day.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Latias dialed Roku's number once again. She knew it was late, but she had to talk to him. She had no idea where this persistence came from, but she didn't care.

After a few rings, the image of a black-haired, sleepy eyed teenager answer with a slow "Hello?"

"Hey. Sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked caringly.

"Latias!" Roku said in surprise, snapping awake almost instantly. "Well, yeah, but it doesn't matter. What's up?"

"Well, I tried to reach you earlier, but you weren't answering," Latias said. "I was really worried about you."

"Well, I kinda had a run in with an angry colony of Trapinch, but, no big deal," Roku said casually.

"What?!" Latias cried. "A-are you OK?!"

"I told you, it was no big deal," Roku began. "I went to blow off some steam and I ended up falling into a Trapinch pit. Luna and the others came to my rescue, and everything turned out fine."

Latias had a horrified look on her face. "You should tell me about these things, Roku! I don't want to lose you!"

"It's OK, Latias, I'm fine," Roku said softly. "You don't have to worry about me. We'll be heading out for Ecruteak tomorrow, so we'll see each other soon, alright?"

"...OK," she said eventually. "See you soon."

Latias hung up and left Roku to rest up for tomorrow.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for this update. There has been so much shit going on lately that I haven't had any time to write. But now, I can write on my tablet, so I should be able to write anywhere.

Anyway, here's the newest installment. Strato Abyss signing out.


	24. The Meeting

Chapter 24: The Meeting

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**National Park**

I woke up to a sleeping Luna on my stomach. _No wonder I couldn't breathe well last night, _I said to myself. I lightly slid Luna off of my stomach and onto the bench I was sleeping on. Shortly after I had packed up my things, she woke up with a loud yawn.

"Fwaaaaaah! Morning," she said, jumping off the bench and stretching out her body.

"Morning," I said, putting my belt on. "Ready to head out?"

"Yeah, I guess," she replied. "Hey, did anyone tell you that you're really warm?"

I looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "You're the first one to tell me that."

Luna grinned sheepishly. Just then, I saw something glint out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at the bushes near the fountain to see a faint glimmer of something. I walked over to the bushes, Luna following close behind. The both of us were on guard; neither one of us knew when a threat could appear.

Taking a closer look, I dug around in the grass and felt some sort of a smooth stone. I parted the thick grass and pulled out what looked like a small marble, white in color with a red and lavender wave pattern in the center.

"What is that?" Luna asked, looking at the strange stone.

"No clue," I answered. "But it looks important…and I can feel some sort of strange energy emanating from it. I think I'll keep it."

I pocketed the stone and walked back to the benches, where Reia and the others were waking up and getting ready for the long road to Ecruteak City.

"Hey, Zuki," I asked, pulling out the stone. "Have you seen anything like this before?"

Zuki took one look at it and jumped back, a surprised look on her face.

"Wh-where did you find that?!" Zuki said.

"I found it over in the tall grass next to the fountain," I explained. "Why, is it important?"

"Do you have any idea what this is?!" Zuki exclaimed. "This is a Mega Stone!"

"Say WHAT?!" I shouted.

"And it's a very rare one at that," Calem said, taking a look at it. "I've never seen one like this."

"Well, in any case, we need to find out what Pokémon it reacts with," Zuki said. "All the more reason to hit the road! I know someone who can identify this Mega Stone. He happens to love rocks."

I nodded and started walking towards the exit of the park. The others followed, and before we knew it, we were at the strange tree that had stopped us before.

"Sooooo…who wants to see what it'll do if we pour water on it?" I asked.

"Oh, come on, sissy!" Luna scoffed. "Just do it already!"

"I don't know what this thing's capable of!" I shouted back. "For all we know, it could be some extremely powerful Pokémon!"

"Then give me the water!" Reia said, rooting around in my bag for the Squirtbottle. She pulled it out and doused the tree with everything it had in it.

Suddenly, the tree screamed violently and shook vigorously, revealing eyes and a mouth. The branches and leaves were actually its arms and fingers, and it danced around, trying to dry itself off.

"Man, I HATE it when people do that!" it said. The tree seemed to be a female.

"Wha…it's a Sudowoodo!" Calem shouted, annoyed. "We got stopped by THIS?"

"Now that's just rude!" the Sudowoodo sassed, placing its leaf-like hands on its hips. "You wanna say that to my face?!"

"Don't try me," Calem said, going for one of his Poke Balls.

"Calem, cool your stuff and let me take care of this," Reia said nonchalantly, pulling Calem back and throwing out her Scyther, whom she affectionately named "Reaper".

"So you send me out against this?" Reaper scoffed, putting his blades out. "Let's chop this tree down!"

"I think it is YOU who's gonna be cut down!" the Sudowoodo said.

"Reaper, hit it with Vacuum Wave!" Reia ordered.

Reaper flew forward at impressive speed, slamming Sudowoodo with multiple scythe attacks. Sudowoodo stumbled and hit the ground, giving Reia ample time to lob a Poke Ball at it.

Once…twice…

The Poke Ball exploded, the now enraged Sudowoodo making its escape.

"You're not getting me that easy!" Sudowoodo said, swinging her arm and tossing a large rock at Reaper, who dodged easily and advanced on her again, this time with an Aerial Ace attack. Sudowoodo hit the ground again, and Reia threw another Poke Ball at her.

Once…twice…thrice…

The ball exploded again, the Sudowoodo coming out again. I could see the rage in Reia's eyes; it looked like she would snap at any moment.

"One more time! Vacuum Wave!" she shouted violently.

Reaper flew in and struck Sudowoodo again with multiple attacks, sending her to the ground again. Reia threw the Poke Ball one last time, desperate for a successful capture.

Once…twice…thrice…

Finally, the ball clicked, and Reia sighed with relief. She walked up and picked the ball up, compressing it and strapping it to her belt.

"OK, now we can go!" she huffed.

* * *

**Cedric's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Cedric smiled as he looked at his screens. The young recruit Roku was finally on his way to Ecruteak. Soon he would be able to test him and see if he is as powerful as his mother and father used to be.

_Heh…what am I thinking?_ He thought to himself, smiling. _They're both still incredible Trainers._

Cedric decided he's also tell Latias the good news. She had been waiting for her friend for quite a while now. She'd even started going into her human camouflage and waiting near the edge of Ecruteak so she could meet him early.

With some protection, of course.

Cedric smiled again. He couldn't help but respect the Pokémon's resolve. If Roku managed to pass his initiation test, then she would make a fine partner for him. Of course, it would probably make Lance mad, but he'd just have to tell the dragon master to deal with it.

_Guess I'd better go and tell her now,_ he said to himself.

"Tell me what?"

As if right on cue, Latias strolled through the door, looking at Cedric attentively.

"Roku's moving through Route 37 as we speak," Cedric said. This made Latias' eyes light up.

"You mean he's…"

"That's right," Cedric said with a smile. "He's nearly here."

Latias screamed with delight and bolted back out the door, probably headed to the gate again.

"Heh…she doesn't stop for even a second," Cedric said to himself. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was already setting.

"As long as she doesn't stay out too late, I'll be fine," Cedric said. At that remark, he facepalmed.

_Good Arceus, I'm starting to sound like her father,_ he thought.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ecruteak City**

After two days of harsh walking, we finally made it to the oldest city in the Johto Region, and the location of my new career. I already couldn't wait to see my friend again. However, a rest at the Pokémon Center was necessary. If we didn't, I'd never hear the end of it.

After a few hours' rest, I made my way to the Ecruteak Dance Theater. I looked at it, wondering if this was actually the right path.

_No…I can't doubt myself now, _I said to myself. _Not when I'm so close._

I took a deep breath and was about to walk in when a pair of hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who?" said an all-too-familiar voice.

I smiled and said, "Hmm…maybe a friend who plays this game a little too much?"

I whirled around to find the first Pokémon I ever knew hovering in front of me. I couldn't resist the urge to dash in and wrap my arms around the source of my worry for the past few days.

"I can't believe you're finally here," she said, the happiness too evident in her voice.

"No more worries," I said, looking Latias straight in the eye. "I'm here."

"Hey, I don't mean to crash the reunion, but we should head in and talk to Cedric about your initiation," Reia said, pointing at the door.

"Oh, right!" I said, facing the building. I nodded and stepped into the theater.

"Huh?"

Once I stepped in, all I saw was a bunch of elderly people sitting cross-legged on cushions, watching the remaining Kimono Girls perform a dance.

"What's going on?" Reia said. "The Kimono Girls never do a dance without all five members."

"Something's not right…" Zuki said cautiously. She walked up to her sisters and waved her hand right through them. Reia nearly gagged.

"It's a hologram!" Calem said.

"We need to hurry. Cedric could have his hands full," Zuki said sternly.

As if right on cue, Reia's P*DA rang with a call from Cedric.

"Hello?" Reia answered. A hologram of Cedric showed up.

"Reia! Where are you now?" he shouted frantically.

"We're getting ready to head into the HQ," Reia replied. "Why, is something wrong?"

Just then, a loud explosion rang out from underneath our feet.

"Team Prime managed to get into our HQ somehow!" Cedric said. "We're in serious need of assistance right now! Hurry up and head down the elevator!"

"We're on our way!" I shouted.

"Roku!" Cedric said. "I don't need you getting into any hairy situations! Stay up there and let us take care of it, OK?"

"No! I can help!" I shouted defiantly. "Like it or not, I'm going in!"

There was a short pause. Then, "Manectric, Thunderbolt!"

Another explosion rang out. Then, Cedric said, "OK. Strength in numbers. Just stay out of danger!"

"You've got nothing to worry about," Latias said. "I'll protect him."

"Very well, now hurry!"

The line was cut. Latias and I looked at each other and nodded.

"Time to kick some ass!" I shouted, following the other Legend Keepers to the elevator.

While we were going down, Reia looked at me and said, "Here. You're gonna need this."

I looked at her hand to see her Mega Ring unsnapped and off her wrist.

"Are you sure?" I said. "From what I've gathered from the Pokedex, Scyther's evolution has a potential Mega Evolution."

"Nah, I'm sure you could use it right now," she said, handing it to me.

I hesitated for a bit, then nodded and took it, strapping it to my free wrist. The stone that was attached to the ring glowed slightly.

"It has recognized you," Reia said. "That's because you've used the same Mega Ring before."

Soon, a glow started emanating from my pocket. I took out the Mega Stone I found at the National Park to find it glowing brightly.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I think that the Mega Stone is reacting to a Pokémon nearby," Zuki said, looking around.

"Is that…" Latias said, looking at the stone. "It IS! My personal treasure!"

"So it's yours?" I asked. "I found it at the National Park. How'd you lose it?"

"Must've slipped out of my grasp when I was escaping from those Team Prime goons," she said. "I wondered where it had gone."

I nodded, then pulled a piece of string from my pocket, tying it around the stone, then tying the ends together and putting it around Latias' neck.

"We'll find a mount for it later," Reia said to her. "That'll have to do for now."

The elevator lurched to a stop, and the doors opened to a scene of pure carnage.

Legend Keepers were all over the lobby, trying their best to hold back the Team Prime grunts trying to force their way in. The battles were fierce, and there were already many scorch marks and gashes in the tiled floor.

"C'mon, let's give 'em a hand!" I shouted, throwing a Poke Ball and releasing my Braixen. I guess he immediately knew what he was doing, because he flew in with a Flame Charge without any hesitation. Reia had already sent out Reaper, Zuki had released her Umbreon, and Calem's Charizard was frying the opposition in more ways than one, since Calem had Mega Evolved him into Mega Charizard Y.

"Glad you guys could finally get here!" said a trainer wearing a red hoodie. "We're getting slaughtered out here, and the admins are already inside, taking on the League Champions!"

"Don't worry, Ethan!" Reia said. "We're not letting them get past!"

After about 20 minutes, the grunts dropped back, seemingly retreating. I breathed a sigh of relief, until I saw a massive blue dragon fly in behind us that could only belong to one trainer.

"Aria!"

The red-headed admin walked in, eyes ablaze with fury.

"I send you to do a simple job and you worthless grunts can't even pull it off?!" she shouted. "Pathetic! Salamence, show them how it's done! Dragon Pulse!"

The purple beam of energy erupted from the dragon's mouth and straight at my Braixen. He barely managed to dodge to the side as the beam went searing past him. I moved out of the way as well, not wanting to be vaporized by its sheer power.  
"Looks like we'll have to do this early!" I said, pulling my wrist up and tapping my Key Stone.

"Oh, shit! He's got a Mega Ring!" Aria said, stepping back.

I smirked for a few seconds before I'd noticed. Nothing was happening.

"Uh…heh heh…" I laughed sheepishly, giving the Key Stone another tap. Nothing happened again.

_Why isn't this working?!_ I shouted inside my head. _Latias should be Mega Evolving by now!_

"Hahaha! Oh, this is rich!" Aria cackled. "You possess a Key Stone, but you don't have the capability to Mega Evolve!"

_Gah…think, Roku! What can you do right now?!_ I asked myself. Then a light bulb went off inside my head.

_She isn't gonna like this, but I have to. Sorry, Latias._

I whirled around and threw one of my empty Poke Balls at the unsuspecting Dragon-type Pokémon. She gasped as the Poke Ball made contact with her body and sucked her into the virtual area. The ball hit the ground and started wiggling.

Once…twice…thrice…

* * *

Author's note: YES! My first update in Arceus knows how long! This chapter may seem rushed, but it took me at least a month to finish this one. I'm so happy!

Anyway, for those of you out there who read my work, I have a new story up called "Megaman Battle Network: Rise of a Champion". You should give it a look. I'll be updating it soon!

Strato Abyss signing out.


	25. Protect the Sanctuary

Chapter 25: Protect the Sanctuary

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

"What the..."

"Did he just...?"

I walked over to the stationary Poke Ball and picked it up, looking at it before tossing it up into the air and releasing a very pissed off Latias.

"What the hell was that for?!" she shouted. "You just randomly decide to throw a Poke Ball at me?!"

"I did what I had to do," I said calmly. "Sorry."

Latias glared at me for a bit, then she sighed and said, "It's OK. Just give me some warning next time!"

I nodded and smiled real big, turning to Aria and touching my Key Stone once more. The look on Aria's face as Latias went into the spherical cocoon was enough to make me laugh victoriously.

"A power beyond evolution..." I said silently before looking up and smirking. "Mega Evolve!"

The cocoon exploded, revealing an even sleeker Latias than before. Her red down had changed to a lavender color, and her wings were now integrated into her arms to make her look more like a jet fighter. The Pokedex said that Mega Latias had an increase in her Attack and Defense, and major increases to her Special stats. Truly a devastating Mega Evolution.

"Damn...Whatever!" Aria shouted aggressively. "I can beat you, even without Mega Evolution! Salamence, Dragon Pulse!"

Salamence fired off the beam of energy, but Latias' new sleek form let her dodge flawlessly.

"Latias, counter with Dragon Breath!" I ordered.

Latias flew up nice and close before unleashing the purple breath attack, sending Salamence reeling back. Once he stopped, he was shivering, the rare paralysis effect taking its turn.

"Salamence, you have to move!" Aria shouted desperately.

I couldn't help but smile victoriously. I could end it right now if I wanted to.

"Latias, finish them with Mist Ball," I said calmly.

Latias charged up her attack and looked Salamence right in the eye before launching the blue energy ball. The Dragon Pokémon roared in pain before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

"What the...how did I lose?!" Aria shouted furiously. "Especially against a little pipsqueak like you!"

"Ugh, I'm not little!" I said defensively. "I'm 17!"

"Why you...!" Aria shouted, stepping towards me with her fists balled. However, a sharp blow to the back of her head rendered her unconscious. I looked up to see a man dressed in a very sharp suit standing there. He flipped his silver hair back into its original position and locked his eyes onto mine.

"Who are you?" I managed to ask. I had to admit, his eyes pretty much froze me in place.

"I should be asking you that," he said. "You can't just be some random Trainer off the streets."

I nodded and said, "I'm not. My name is Roku Kimura. I'm here to help out."

"Roku, hmm?" he said. He stepped forward and held out a hand. "I'm Steven Stone. I'm currently the Champion of the Hoenn Pokémon League."

"Whoa, no way!" I said, unable to keep my excitement in. I took his hand and gave it a firm shake. "It's an honor to meet you!"

"We'll have time to introduce ourselves later!" Zuki said. "We gotta get down to the main room! Cedric needs us now!"

"She's right about that," Steven said. "Cedric told me to come and see what was holding you up. Most of the grunts managed to get into the Sanctuary, and we're having a bit of trouble fighting them off."

"Well, what are we standing around here for?" I said, returning my Braixen to his Poke Ball. "We gotta get moving!"

Steven led the way to the Sanctuary, which Reia explained was the area which all of the Legendary Pokémon that the Legend Keepers rescued roamed free. Once we got there, I was taken aback by the Sanctuary's massive size. The entire area was almost all forest, but there were environments suited for any Pokémon.

I continued to look and found the remaining Champions fighting off an army of grunts, as well as the other two admins.

"OK! Let's finish this!" I said. "I have an idea."

I looked at Latias. She looked back at me and said, "What?"

"We're gonna swoop down on the admins and try to get them to follow us," I explained. "This may involve strafing a few of the grunts as well. In the meantime, Steven, Reia, Zuki and Calem will head down and assist the other Champions in holding back the swarm."

"Wawawait! What do you mean 'we'?" Latias asked. "What are you planning?"

"Well, it involves me becoming the pilot of a jet fighter, if you catch my drift," I explained.

"Oh, so you think I'll let you ride me like a flying horse, is that what you're saying?" Latias said, her protest obvious.

"Come on, you used to fly me around all the time, what's so different about this time?" I asked her.

Latias pondered it for a bit, then she said, "OK, point taken." She got low enough to the ground to let me climb on her back.

"Be careful, Roku," Reia said worryingly. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"We'll be fine," I reassured her. "This girl's the steadiest flyer I know."

Latias nodded and said, "Yeah! We'll be fine! It's not like we haven't done this before."

Reia nodded and smiled, backing away from us.

"OK! Here we go!" I said, drawing my sword and pointing it forward. "Onward!"

Latias nodded and said, "Hold on tight!" before lifting up and launching us over the fence that surrounded the observation deck. She went right into a steep dive and kept going until we had reached the army of grunts.

"OK, Latias!" I shouted. "Open fire! Mist Ball!"

Latias fired off the ball of energy right in the middle of the crowd, causing a few of them to fly off and hit the ground, unconscious, while the remaining ones ran off for fear of suffering the same fate. The two admins looked up and saw me flying through the air.

"How the hell did he get Latias?!" I heard Jay shout.

"I would guess that Aria failed in holding the reinforcements back," Michael replied.

"Roku! What took you so long?!" Cedric said with a smile.

I jumped off and landed beside him, pulling out Luna's Poke Ball.

"Had a small blockade to get through first," I replied. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Well, either way, I'm glad you're here," Cedric said. "We're facing quite the Trainers here."

Jay and Michael threw out their Pokémon, eager to get the battle started. Hydreigon and a dragon Pokémon I'd never seen before slammed onto the field. I pulled up my Pokedex and looked it up.

"Dragalge, the Mock Kelp Pokémon and the evolved form of Skrelp. Dragalge's toxin is so powerful that it can melt through the hull of a tanker. They spit this toxin indiscriminately at anything that enters their territory."

"Eww," I said, looking at the Dragon- and Poison-type Pokémon. It looked like a dried up piece of dead kelp that had somehow come back to life. As a Poison-type Pokémon, my best option was either Latias or Braixen.

"Latias, front and center!" I eventually said. My new partner swooped down and hovered in front of me.

"What the...is that Mega Latias?" Cedric questioned. I smiled and held up Reia's Mega Ring.

"Well, Roku," Cedric said, chuckling slightly. "You never cease to surprise me."

Cedric pulled out a Poke Ball and sent out his partner Pokémon, Manectric. I pulled up the Pokedex again.

"Manectric, the Discharge Pokémon and the evolved form of Electrike. Manectric rarely appears before people and is said to nest where lightning strikes occur."

"An Electric-type, eh?" I said. "You've got great taste, Cedric."

"Yeah, now let's see if you're as good as Reia says you are," Cedric said, not wanting to waste any time. "Manectric, Thunderbolt!"

Manectric fired off a massive arc of electricity at Hydreigon. Not wanting to fall behind, I shouted, "Latias, Mist Ball on Dragalge!"

Latias shot off the energy sphere attack in Dragalge's direction, landing a direct hit and sending him flying back. Hydreigon was sent in to retaliate, firing off a Dark Pulse at her and hitting her spot on.

"Latias! Are you OK?!" I shouted worriedly.

Latias shook her head and said, "I'm fine! I can still fight!"

"OK! Use Recover!" I ordered.

Latias' body glowed and all of her wounds dissipated. Manectric followed up with a Thunder Fang on Hydreigon, paralyzing him and allowing us to finish him with a Dragon Breath. Now all that was left was Dragalge.

"OK, time to finish this!" I shouted. "Latias, Mist Ball!"

"Manectric, Thunderbolt!"

The two Pokémon launched their attacks straight at the crestfallen Dragalge, slamming into it and sending it flying back into its Trainer. Both human and Pokémon lay there, completely incapacitated.

"What...what the...?!" Jay shouted angrily. He returned his fallen Hydreigon and tried to run away, but the Champions beat him to the punch, surrounding him with their Poke Balls out. Jay huffed as he and Michael were escorted out of the Sanctuary.

After a few hours, we had finally cleaned up most of the damage that had befallen the HQ. While I was looking over the Legend Keepers who were running around trying to fix the place up, Cedric came up behind me and slapped my back, almost sending me sprawling forward.

"Well, Roku," he said, chuckling. "You're certainly strong enough to hold your own. Just like your mother."

I nodded, then a wave of guilt washed over me. The last time I spoke to her, I pretty much destroyed any connection I had with her. I excused myself and went to the lobby, pulling up my P*DA and dialing my mom's number.

After a few rings, she answered with a frantic tone in her voice.

"Roku?!"

"Hey, Mom," I said calmly, although I was feeling pretty nervous. "Listen, I wanted to say I'm sorry about that last phone call. You know how I get when I get news like that."

"Roku, you talking to me again is the only thing I need to know that you're sorry," she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "Apology accepted. And I'm sorry too. Something in my mind told me you'd find out about us sooner or later."

"In any case, I'm glad you came clean," I said.

"Roku! We need some help over here!" I heard one of the other Legend Keepers shout.

"I gotta go. We'll talk later, OK?" I said.

"Yeah," Mom said. "Goodbye, Roku."

"Bye, Mom," I said before hanging up.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Later that night, I was called down to Cedric's office for a visit. I already knew what this was about; this must be the initiation that Reia told me about.

I stepped into his office. Cedric turned around, smiling as I walked in.

"Roku! Glad you could join me," he said.

"I'm ready for my initiation now," I said.

"Ah, so you already know where this is headed, eh?" Cedric said. "Right then, follow me."

I followed Cedric out of his office and into an empty room, which was then lit up, revealing a stadium. All of the Legend Keepers were gathered in the stands, eager to see how the new guy would fare.

"I may seem friendly now, Roku," Cedric said, pulling out a Poke Ball. "But once I'm on the battlefield, all bets are off."

"That's funny; I think the same way," I replied.

"This will be a three-on-three match!" the referee boomed. "The first Trainer to have all of their Pokémon unable to battle is the winner! Both Trainers are able to substitute Pokémon! Mega Evolution is allowed! Are you ready?!"

Cedric and I both nodded.

"Trainers! Bring out your first Pokémon!"

"Zoroark, battle stance!" Cedric said, throwing out his first Pokémon.

"Riolu, I choose you!" I shouted, throwing out my choice.

The two Pokémon burst onto the field, eager for battle.

"Let the battle begin!"

* * *

Author's Note: Soooo…how long do you think I should extend this battle? Two chapters? That's what I'm thinking. After all, it IS Roku's initiation.

Also, I might need some help on what Cedric's Legendary partner will be, so anyone who has an idea, post them in the reviews, which I haven't even gotten any yet! How am I supposed to know if you guys like this if I'm not getting any feedback?!

That's it for this installment. Strato Abyss signing out.


	26. The Battle Begins

Chapter 26: The Battle Begins

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

I could already feel it. The tension in the air...the rush of adrenaline...

_Yup, this is gonna be an amazing battle, _I said to myself.

Cedric and I had begun the battle that would determine whether I got into the Legend Keepers and whether I was going home. The first match was his Zoroark versus my Riolu. Curious as to what the hell that Pokémon was, I pulled up my Pokedex.

"Zoroark, the Illusion Fox Pokémon and the evolved form of Zorua. Each Zoroark can fool a large group of people simultaneously. They hide their lair with illusory scenery, and will lash out at anything that invades its territory."

Zoroark was listed as a Dark-type Pokémon with high offensive capabilities and high Speed. I knew I made the right choice in sending Riolu out for my first Pokémon.

"Now, Zoroark! Attack with Feint Attack!" Cedric shouted, starting the battle.

"Riolu, use Foresight!" I ordered.

Riolu's eyes gleamed for a split second, and right as Zoroark reappeared, Riolu dodged to the side and struck him with a vicious punch, suggesting that he used Counter. Riolu jumped back to get some distance between him and the now enraged fox.

"Zoroark, Fury Swipes!" Cedric shouted.

"Riolu, keep your distance!" I yelled.

Riolu did his best to stay away from him, but Zoroark's high agility let him close that distance fast, and now Riolu was doing his best to avoid the fox Pokémon's high speed slashes. He was doing great, until Zoroark managed to catch him and began slashing him repeatedly.

"No! Riolu, get out of there!" I shouted frantically.

The attack eventually let up, and Riolu was left on one knee, breathing heavily.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

"Rrgh! I'm not out of this yet!" he shouted, flipping up and going into a battle stance.

"Yeah, that's it!" I shouted happily. "Time to retaliate! Use Quick Attack!"

Riolu blasted forward with amazing speed. Just as Zoroark was about to dodge, I ordered him to meet him head on and use Force Palm. The attack was executed flawlessly, and now it was Zoroark who was breathing heavily.

"Hmph! Well played, Roku!" Cedric commended. "But I'm afraid I'll have to end it here. Zoroark, Night Daze!"

I gritted my teeth. In a normal circumstance, Night Daze wouldn't do much to Riolu. But since he was on the verge of fainting, it would end him for sure.

"Riolu, use Endure!" I said quickly.

Zoroark launched the deep black shockwave, and just as it was about to hit, Riolu put his arms up and took the attack. An explosion rang out, nearly shaking the entire stadium.

"Riolu! You still there?!" I shouted, waiting for the smoke to clear.

Once it finally did, I saw my partner standing there, arms still up, breathing heavily with exhaustion.

"Yes! Come on, Riolu, I know you still got it in you!" I said with delight. "Let's finish him! Force Palm!"

But Riolu had other plans, for I saw a glowing blue orb begin to form in Riolu's hand.

_Whoa, did he just learn Aura Sphere?! _I thought to myself.

Riolu let out an enraged battle cry as he released the energy attack, the blue sphere slamming into Zoroark and blasting him back to Cedric, everything but conscious.

"Zoroark is unable to battle!" the referee yelled. "Riolu wins!"

"Damn...come back, old friend," Cedric said, retuning the fallen Pokémon to his Poke Ball.

I looked back at Riolu to find him now glowing brightly. Then he started to change shape, and I knew what was going on. The glow dissipated, revealing an even bigger canine-like creature: Lucario.

"Riolu...you've evolved!" I said happily.

"Yeah...looks like it," Lucario said, looking himself over.

"So, it looks like your bonds with Riolu have been completed," Cedric said. "Too bad he won't last long in battle! Go, Manectric!"

I steeped myself as Cedric sent out his trusted partner. I knew Lucario wasn't going to last very much longer.

_But we're gonna put up one hell of a fight!_

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!" I shouted.

Lucario jumped back and launched the high-powered sphere, slamming into Manectric with deadly accuracy. But I could tell it hadn't done much to Manectric, who I assumed was very well-trained.

"Manectric, Discharge!" Cedric ordered.

Manectric's fur began to spark and crackle with electricity as he was summoning up all of the power stored in his body. With one final roar, he let it loose, sending electricity flying out in all directions. I stepped to the side as a bolt seared past my face, the fresh smell of ozone permeating my nose.

Lucario, however, was getting the full brutality of the attack, jolting and writhing as the electricity mercilessly flowed through his body. Once the attack was finished, Lucario hit the ground, unconscious.

"Lucario is unable to battle! Manectric wins!"

"Lucario!" I cried, running up to my fallen partner. As I knelt down beside him, he opened his eyes slightly and said in a barely audible whisper, "H-How did I do?"

"You were amazing, partner," I said, pulling out his Poke Ball. "Return, and get a good rest."

Lucario's eyes closed again, and he was returned to his virtual area. I stood up and went back to my place on the field.

"You're gonna pay for that," I said, pulling out my next Poke Ball. "Go, Luna!"

I tossed it high up into the air, releasing my partner from Day 1. She landed on the ground, aggressively going into a battle stance.

"Yes! I've been waiting for this moment!" Luna said, her rings lighting up. "Bring it on!"

"Manectric, return!" Cedric said, retrieving his partner Pokémon.

"What?! Why are you switching?!" I said roughly. "Come on, are you afraid?!"

"I have something planned for Manectric later," he said, pulling out his third Poke Ball. "I need to know if your partner can handle herself against a Legendary Pokémon. Time for you to meet my Legendary Partner!"

Cedric wound up and threw the ball onto the field, revealing a Pokémon I did not expect him to have. I pulled out my Pokedex to obtain some extra data on the massive bird Pokémon he'd sent out.

"Moltres, the Flame Pokémon. Moltres is a legendary bird Pokémon that has the ability to control fire. If this Pokémon is injured, it is said to dip its body in the molten magma of a volcano to burn and heal itself."

"Moltres, huh?" I said. "How'd you two meet?"

"That's none of your concern right now, human," Moltres said, spreading his flaming wings. "I'm here to test your skills against fighting a legend. So let's get to it!"

"Hmph! Very well!" I shouted. "Let's show 'em what we can do! Begin with Quick Attack!"

Luna smirked and launched forward at breakneck speed, slamming into the legendary bird Pokémon with incredible force. Luna dropped back in order to keep her distance from Moltres.

"Moltres, Flamethrower!" Cedric ordered.

Moltres screeched loudly and fired off the stream of flames at high speed, engulfing Luna in a raging inferno. I was about to call out to my partner, until I saw the familiar silhouette of star-shaped rays slam into Moltres, shutting down the attack and revealing a very singed and frizzed-up Luna.

"Luna, you OK?" I asked worriedly.

Luna shook violently, getting rid of the frizz, and said, "If I ever need a quick blow-dry, I'll call that guy!"

I smiled and shook my head. As serious as the battle was, Luna could still crack jokes.

_Man, I love my Pokémon, _I said to myself.

Putting my head back into the battle, I told Luna to use Confuse Ray. Luna shot the ray of light from the ring on her forehead and right into Moltres' eyes, causing him to flinch slightly and then start stumbling around.

"Dammit, get your head in the game, Moltres!" Cedric shouted. "Use Flamethrower!"

Moltres tried to shoot flames in our direction, but to no avail. Luna ran in and jumped up, nailing Moltres point-blank in the face with a Swift attack. However, this attack managed to snap him out of his trance, and the firebird retaliated with a point-blank Flamethrower, engulfing the unwary Pokémon in another torrent of flames. Luna dropped back again, this time coughing out smoke in a cartoon-like fashion.

"Perhaps we should try keeping our distance," I suggested.

"Yeah," Luna huffed. "Good idea."

"Not going to happen! Moltres, use Agility!" Cedric ordered.

Moltres' muscles began to lighten up, causing him to move much faster. With this newfound speed, he dashed at Luna, who had to dodge using Quick Attack as another Flamethrower streaked across the battlefield.

"Now, Moltres! Sky Attack!" Cedric shouted.

Moltres dropped back to his side of the field and began charging energy. I gritted my teeth again, for Sky Attack was a very powerful move with a higher chance to land a critical blow.

"We have to stop that attack!" I shouted. "Luna, give it everything you've got! Swift!"

Luna built up as much power as she could into one massive star-like ray. Just as Moltres was about to launch forward and decimate Luna, she released the ray. It smashed into Moltres, breaking most of the impact, but it wasn't enough to stop the attack entirely. Luna was slammed hard and thrown to the ground, severely damaged.

"Luna! You OK?!" I shouted to my partner.

Luna didn't move for a few seconds, then she slowly got to her feet, shaking slightly.

"I can still fight!" she shouted aggressively.

"How?!" Moltres shouted in surprise, exhausted from the last attack. "How is she still standing?!"

Luna blasted off with one last Quick Attack, slamming into Moltres at terrifying speed and sending him to the ground, unconscious. Luna jumped back as well, breathing heavily.

"Moltres is unable to battle!" the ref shouted. "Luna wins!"

"Yes! Great job, Luna!" I shouted.

Luna looked at me and smiled before dropping to the ground, fainted.

"Heh…you did well, partner," I said, pulling out her Poke Ball and returning her. "Get a good rest."

"Well, now," Cedric said. "Looks like I only have one Pokémon left."

"Same here," I replied.

"Then let's finish this!" Cedric shouted, pulling out his last Pokémon. "Go, Manectric!"

"Go, Latias!" I shouted, throwing out my final Pokémon.

The two Pokémon burst from their Poke Balls, ready for battle.

"How's about we make this interesting, eh, Roku?" Cedric said, pointing at a small gem attached to the zipper of his leather jacket. Closer inspection of the gem made me gasp.

"Is that a…Key Stone?!" I shouted.

"You're not the only one who can use Mega Evolution, you know," Cedric said. "A lot of us Legend Keepers can utilize this power."

"You think I'm not aware of that?" I said angrily, holding up my Mega Ring. "Who do you think gave me this Mega Ring?"

"Yes, well, it's time to see if you can hold your own against someone who's been Mega Evolving longer than you have!" Cedric shouted.

"I'm not losing this battle!" I shouted back.

The both of us touched our Key Stones at the same time. Latias' Mega Stone began to glow from the new mount that was crafted for her; a gold armor-like necklace in which the Latiasite was mounted on a crest in the center. Latias was enveloped in the spherical cocoon, exploding out of it after some time, the Mega Evolution complete. I also saw Manectric explode out of the cocoon, looking like he just got out of a static dryer. I ended up pulling up his entry on the Pokedex and checking out his stat changes.

The Pokedex showed increases in defensive stats, and major increases in Special Attack and Speed. I winced slightly, but I knew Latias could handle herself.

"Now, let's finish this!" Cedric shouted.

"Oh, we're about to!" I retorted. "You ready Latias?!"

"I was born ready!" Latias said aggressively.

The two Pokémon rushed at each other at high speed. I was sweating, for this was a battle I could not lose.

_Arceusspeed, Latias. You're gonna need it._

* * *

Author's Note: And there's the first part of Roku and Cedric's battle. Let me know what you think!

Strato Abyss signing out.


	27. Welcome to the Team

Chapter 27: Welcome to the Team

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

"ATTACK NOW!"

We were doing everything we could to keep our balance as the two Mega Evolved Pokémon flew at each other, sending off shockwaves that nearly blew everyone out of their seats. Latias was already charging up a Dragon Breath, ready to unleash it on the unsuspecting thunderbolt itself, and Manectric had electricity sparking from its mane.

Just as it seemed they were going to collide, we shouted our orders.

"Latias, Dragon Breath!"

"Manectric, Thunderbolt!"

The two Mega Evolved Pokémon launched their attacks, sending out another round of shockwaves that reverberated against each other, causing a small seismic disturbance and knocking us off our feet. I had to admit, that Manectric was incredible.

I scrambled to my feet and straightened myself up, thrusting out a hand and shouting, "Latias! Break away and use Mist Ball!"

Latias flew upwards as fast as she could, narrowly avoiding the arcing electricity, and firing off the Mist Ball attack, landing a direct hit on Manectric and even dropping his ability to produce special attacks.

"Come on, Manectric!" Cedric shouted. "We can't lose to them! Use Discharge!"

Manectric built up as much electricity as it could before releasing it in one massive burst, covering the entire field in electricity. Latias tried her best to avoid it, but she got caught up in the dome of electricity and jolted around before falling.

"Latias! Are you OK?!" I shouted as she hit the ground with a massive thud.

"Ugh…that one didn't feel good…" she said, slowly hovering back up.

"Hahaha! How's THAT for clipping the bird's wings?!" Manectric shouted.

I saw Latias tense up, and I knew that Manectric had struck a nerve.

"I'm not a bird, you glorified lightning bolt," Latias said roughly. She flew right up to Manectric, her nose right up against Manectric's forehead, and shouted, "I'm a DRAGON!" before blowing her Dragon Breath in his face, sending him sprawling back enough for Latias to nail him with a Mist Ball attack, dropping his special capabilities again.

The heat of the battle grew from there. Both Manectric and Latias were exchanging blows left and right, from energy attacks to special attacks. Eventually, the two were engaged in another battle of will between Dragon Breath and Thunderbolt.

"Don't give in, Latias! You can beat this guy!" I cheered.

"Don't you dare quit, Manectric!" Cedric shouted.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

Reia was absolutely beside herself. The battle between Roku and Cedric had proven to be better than she'd anticipated. Even Zuki and Calem, who were seasoned Trainers, were impressed with him.

"I really do hope he wins this," Zuki said. "We could use someone with his skills on our team."

"I agree," Calem said. "He's able to coordinate moves flawlessly and come up with strategies right on the dot. He's got my vote."

The entire crowd cheered as Roku pulled off another powerful strategy, sending Cedric's Manectric flying.

"Yeah, go Roku!" Reia cheered.

Just then, Reia saw Cedric's Manectric running up to Latias as her back was turned. She already knew what was going to happen.

"Latias, watch out!"

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

The battle of will ended with Latias flying up and activating her camouflage, flying behind Manectric and slamming him with another Mist Ball. Manectric flew back and hit the ground, sliding all the way back to Cedric. The crowd cheered loudly and, me being who I am, waved to the crowd, the cockiness taking effect.

Latias flew back to me, where she used Recover and healed her wounds from the last attack. But as she did, Manectric had closed the distance almost instantly and latched onto her with a Crunch attack, his fangs sinking deep into her neck.

"NO!" I shouted, knowing that this was a potentially fatal blow. Manectric was clamped on tight, but Latias was making it hard to stay that way, slashing at him with her small but sharp claws. Eventually, Manectric was so roughed up that he had to release his grip, and Latias floated back, her breathing heavily compromised.

"Latias, we need to fall back," I said, walking up to her. "You're in no condition to fight."

I was surprised when Latias shook her head, saying, "I'm not giving in."

"But, you could die from this!" I shouted. "I lost you once, I'm not going through that again!"

Latias turned around and looked me straight in the eye. The determination I saw in her bright yellow eyes gave me the answer I needed.

"…OK. I believe in you," I said. I looked Cedric straight in the eye as Latias turned back to the field and locked onto Manectric.

"So you're gonna keep going, eh?" Cedric said.

"Latias and I won't let something like this stop us," I said confidently. "Do your worst, Cedric."

"Very well," Cedric said, cracking his knuckles. "Manectric, Crunch!"

Manectric ran at Latias again, but she sent a wing across and slapped him back, charging up an attack I hadn't seen her use before. She unleashed it in the form of a large purple beam, enveloping Manectric in pure draconic energy.

"Whoa! Was that Dragon Pulse?!" I shouted in surprise.

Manectric was struggling to stay standing after the attack. Latias floated up to him, her breathing growing heavier, before giving the Electric-type another slap with her wing, knocking him out cold.

"Manectric is unable to battle!" the announcer shouted. "Latias is the winner! The victory goes to Roku Kimura!"

I hit the ground, on my knees, breathing heavily. I was so nervous that it was compromising my breathing as well. Latias was in worse shape, though, for she was still coughing up blood.

Manectric's energy returned to Cedric's Key Stone, and he was frozen like an icicle. I smiled, for I knew he was defeated.

I slowly moved to the now grounded dragon, her Mega energy returning to my Key Stone and returning her to her original form. I embraced her lightly, saying, "You did great. You didn't have to do this, you know."

Latias put her head up to my ear and whispered, "Never give up," before collapsing.

The medics rushed in, putting Latias on a stretcher and whisking her away to the infirmary. I saw my friends rush down from the stands before my vision started fuzzing out and I, too, collapsed.

* * *

_Later that evening…_

I woke up to find myself in a bed with my belt and Poke Balls lying on a table beside it. I sat up, still a little woozy from the exhausting battle, and got a look at my surroundings. I was in some sort of hospital room, but it wasn't quite white enough to be one.

Soon enough, Reia, Zuki, and Calem walked in, relieved that I was OK once they saw me sitting up.

"Hey," Reia said softly, sitting beside me on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy, but I'm OK," I said. Then I remembered. "Latias! Is she OK?!"

"Latias is fine," Zuki said reassuringly. "She's still recovering, but she'll be OK."

I sighed with relief, knowing that I would feel guilty for the rest of my life if Latias hadn't made it out of that battle. I tried to stand, but the dizziness took effect, putting me back on the bed.

"You need to rest, too," Zuki said. "You took a pretty big hit of exhaustion yourself."

"I'm fine," I said stubbornly.

"Cedric said you need to rest," Calem said. "He doesn't want his new Legend Keeper to be moving around too much."

My eyes lit up at that news. Cedric had accepted me as one of his teammates.

"Oh, right!" Reia said, snapping her fingers like she remembered something. "As soon as you're feeling better-"

"And that's without the dizziness," Zuki interrupted.

"Cedric wants to see you in his office," Reia continued. "He has something for you."

"OK," I said, trying to get up again. But Zuki beat me to it, sending out one of her Pokémon to use Hypnosis on me. I gave her the evil eye as I slowly sank into a deep sleep.

* * *

_The next morning…_

I woke up once again, sitting up and not feeling dizzy at all. However, I didn't want to get up, for Luna was lying on my lap again.

The first thing that went through my head was _how the hell did she get there?_

Just then, Luna stretched and yawned, turning her head and gasping.

"Roku! You're OK!" she said excitedly, standing up and rushing over, wrapping her front legs around my neck. I hugged her back, and we stayed that way for a few minutes.

"I thought you weren't going to recover," Luna said sadly. "I was really worried about you."

"No need to worry," I said softly. "I'm OK."

We let go of each other, and I asked her, "So, how did you get out here? Last I knew, you were still in your Poke Ball."

"Once we were healed, Reia released me to help Latias stay awake," she explained. "If she had fallen asleep while the medics were doing their thing, she wouldn't have made it."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said.

"No problem," Luna replied, smiling. "Anything to help your girlfriend."

"What?!" I shouted. "No no no, you've got the wrong idea!" Then I stopped for a bit. "Wait, are you talking about Reia or Latias?"

"Oh, then I guess I should say your girlFRIENDS," Luna said, grinning wolfishly.

I shook my head and got up, noticing I was still dressed in my usual attire. I eventually found out that the room I was in had a washer and dryer, so I spent the next couple of hours getting my clothes clean.

Once that was finished, I remembered that Cedric wanted to see me, so I put my belt back on and walked out, heading to Cedric's office. However, I didn't exactly know where I was going, so I got one of the Legend Keepers to show me to his office.

Once I got there, a wave of nervousness hit me. I didn't know how to act in front of Cedric, especially when it meant possibly getting my badge. I took a deep breath, and after a confident look from Luna, walked in.

"Uh, you need to see me, Cedric?" I said shakily.

Cedric turned around and smiled once he saw me.

"Ah, Roku!" he said cheerfully. "It's good to see you're OK. You took quite a fall the other day."

"Reia told me you had something for me," I said.

"I see, straight to the point," Cedric said. "I like that. Actually, I have two somethings for you. The first is this."

Cedric pulled out a shiny new badge with the Legend Keepers' insignia on it: a silver sword with yellow wings on a black triangle background. He handed it to me, saying, "I hereby grant you with this badge, proof of your new status. Welcome to the Legend Keepers, Roku Kimura."

I took the badge, looking it over like a kid who just got a new toy. I was instantly feeling proud of myself that I had made it this far.

"The second is a gift from Steven," he continued. "He left while you were unconscious, so he couldn't give it to you in person."

He handed me a silver bracelet with a Key Stone implanted in it.

"Your very own Mega Bracelet," Cedric said.

"Heh…guess I can give Reia's Mega Ring back to her now," I said, taking the bracelet and replacing the Mega Ring with it.

"Last I knew, Reia was in the infirmary, checking on Latias," Cedric said. "By the way, I don't think Latias is ready to travel with you yet. She's still recovering from my partner's mistake."

I flinched. Cedric blamed his Manectric for Latias' injury? I figured he'd done it on purpose, but his Manectric did seem a little overaggressive.

"I understand," I said. "I'll wait until she recovers before I leave."

"While she's in recovery, why don't you head out and see the sights?" Cedric said. "Ecruteak's got a lot of historic sights to check out, and you can challenge your next Gym Leader. That is, is you're feeling OK."

"I'm fine, Cedric," I said. "I'll go check on my partner."

With that, I stepped out and made my way to the infirmary.

* * *

Author's Note: And on that note, this chapter comes to a close. Please read and review!

Strato Abyss signing out.


	28. Silence the Spirits

Chapter 28: Silence the Spirits

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ecruteak City**

"So, where are we going?" Reia asked after we had left the HQ.

"We're gonna check out some of the sights around the city before we take on the Gym Leader," I explained. "That cool with you?"

"Yeah, sure!" Reia said with a smile. "It'd be great to relax for a bit!"

I nodded, and we set off into the city. Our first stop was the Burned Tower, which I heard was once an extremely tall tower that served as a perch for a legendary Pokémon of Johto.

As we walked in, I saw a head of red hair that I did not want to see.

"Darius," I said. The redhead turned around and scowled once he saw me.

"So you're here for the Legendary Pokémon, too, huh?" he said. "That's great. You decided to become less weak."

"Yeah, says the guy who's lost to me twice," I shot back. "You know, your definition of weak must be very different from mine."

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't be able to handle a Pokémon like that anyway," Darius said. "A Legendary Pokémon suits someone like me who's sworn to become the strongest! A battle with those weak-ass punks in grey jumpsuits fits you just fine!"

"Then how about I battle you, since you're just as pitiful!" I shouted, pulling out my Poke Ball.

"I'm gonna enjoy making you eat those words!" Darius said, doing the same. "Go, Gastly!"

"Go, Braixen!"

We threw our Poke Balls and released our Pokémon onto the charred floor. I could already tell that we were both worried about the fragile floor, and we were both hoping it would hold up.

"OK, Braixen! Use Psybeam!" I shouted.

Braixen pulled his twig from his tail and fired off a purple beam from the twig, hitting Gastly with deadly accuracy and knocking him out with one shot. Darius scowled again, sending out his partner Riolu.

"OK, Braixen! Use Psybeam again!"

Braixen fired off another beam attack, but Riolu was ordered to use Foresight and he dodged the attack. Riolu then ran in with a Force Palm, but Braixen countered with Flame Charge, causing damage to both Pokémon.

"Riolu, use Quick Attack!" Darius barked.

"Braixen, wait for my order!" I shouted.

Riolu blasted off with great speed, but Braixen was ready, standing on his toes. Right when Riolu was about to collide with him, I gave the order to use the attack, and Braixen pointed his twig at Riolu, firing off a Psybeam. Riolu flew back and skid across the ground, fainted.

"Dammit…" Darius growled, returning his fallen partner and sending out his Magnemite. I laughed again, knowing I could destroy him easily. I ordered Braixen to finish him with Flame Charge, and he did just that. Darius returned his last Pokémon, giving me the evil eye.

"Why?! Why do you keep WINNING?!" he shouted, earning some looks from the people who were watching.

"We're both good at battling," I said, smirking and returning my Braixen. "I'm just way better at it."

Darius was steaming, stomping towards me with his fists balled. I was about to get into a fighting stance when I heard cracking.

Then I was standing on nothing.

I fell through a hole that had opened up when Darius was about to start a fight, and fell into nothingness.

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**Burned Tower**

"Roku!" Reia shouted as she saw her friend fall through the floor. She ran up to the hole and looked in, not seeing anything. Then she looked at Darius, who was also looking at the hole with a scared look on his face. He looked back at Reia, then turned tail and ran out of the tower.

Reia got close to the hole and shouted, "Roku! Roku, are you OK?!"

All Reia could do was pray to Arceus that he was OK.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Burned Tower**

"Uggh…"

I sat up slowly after landing hard on the ground beneath the tower. And apparently, Luna had fallen with me, for I saw her blue rings glowing softly, giving some light to the nearly pitch-black space.

"Roku! Roku, are you OK?!" shouted a voice from up above. It was Reia's voice.

"Yeah, I'm OK!" I shouted, rubbing my sore back. "Although I can't say the same thing for my back…"

"Hold on! I'll go get help!" Reia shouted. I heard feet pounding on the floor above, which suggested that she had run out of the tower.

I looked over at my partner and said, "You OK? Nothing broken?"

Luna shifted slightly, then stood up, shaking the dust off of her body.

"A little shaken, but I'm OK," Luna said.

"OK, that's good," I said with relief.

I stood up and got a look at my surroundings. Because of Luna's luminescent properties, I was able to see most of the basement floor. It definitely looked like a burnt building, with charred walls and floors that showed some of the earth below the tower. While looking around, I saw many figures shifting around the room, some with blood red eyes.

"Uh…" Luna said, a scared tone evident in her voice. "Those aren't ghosts, are they?"

"Whatever they are, it's best to just stay calm," I said reassuringly. "Reia will be back with help soon."

Suddenly, it seemed like an immense pressure was being applied to my body. I struggled to keep myself on my feet. I then started to see many gaseous bodies make their way out of the walls.

"Uh oh," I said.

"Please don't tell me…" Luna said, eyes wide with fear.

"It's a horde of Gastly and Haunter!" I shouted. I knew what the pressure was about; it was either the immense spiritual energy or it was the effects of the gas emitting from their bodies.

And speaking of, that was the gas that was pouring into the room now. It was coming in as a thick cloud, and Luna and I wouldn't have been able to hold our breath long enough for the ghosts to give up.

"Luna…" I said, coughing and hacking. "I'm sorry…"

"No, don't say that!" Luna said, coughing roughly. "We can make it out!"

"I'm proud…to have a partner…like you…" I managed to say.

My vision was getting blurry, and the world was beginning to spin. Just then, I saw two flashes of red and blue.

* * *

_A few minutes earlier…_

A lone figure sat up on top of a hill, looking down upon Ecruteak City. Another figure, a red one, joined the other, a blue figure, on the hill.

"It's been a while since we've returned, isn't it, Suicune?" the red figure said.

"Yes, Entei, it has been a while," the blue figure named Suicune said, closing her crimson red eyes.

"Do you think it's a good idea? To return so soon?" Entei inquired. "Team Prime could still be after us. It was bad enough that Raikou had to sacrifice himself to protect that human."

"Yes, but he is being treated well," Suicune said, turning to Entei. "The Legend Keepers are keeping him safe from Team Prime's grasp.

Just then, Entei flinched, looking off into the distance. Suicune sensed that something was wrong, and looked back to the city to see a purple cloud of smoke emanating from the tower they called home.

"Something's got the Gastly on the offensive," Suicune said. "Come, Entei! We have to help the humans!"

"Something tells me that this isn't about the humans," Entei said roughly. "I can only sense one human in the tower. Which is odd, because I can't sense those who aren't Legend Keepers."

"Then one of our allies is in danger!" Suicune shouted. "We don't have time to waste! We have to go!"

"Hmph…very well," Entei said, bounding down the hill. Suicune soon followed afterwards, and the two entered the tower, smashing their way through the wall.

The two Pokémon landed and began their rescue. Entei picked up the boy and his Umbreon, who were trapped in the tower and had fainted, while Suicune used her Tailwind to blow away the poisonous gas and drive the Gastly and Haunter back into the walls.

"C'mon! Let's move before the humans show up!" Entei barked, leaping up and out of the tower and being tailed by Suicune.

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Location Unknown**

I woke up, coughing up a fit. The gas from the Pokémon in the Burned Tower had done a real number on my lungs, and I was feeling I had just been pulled from a burning building.

"Huff…Luna?" I said, looking around. "Luna?!"

I kept looking around vigorously for any sign of my partner, but I couldn't see her. I immediately began to panic, thinking she was dead. Soon, I saw her run from the other side of the hill and straight into me, wrapping her front legs around me in a hug.

"Roku! Thank Arceus you're OK!" she said happily.

I hugged her back, saying, "I'm glad you're OK too. I didn't think we were going to make it out of there."

Then I realized something.

"How DID we get out of the tower?" I said aloud.

"Yeah, you've got me," Luna said, scratching her head.

Just then, I saw two massive figures appear before me at lightning speed, ones with a very celestial appearance. One was very muscular, with brown fur and dark gray rings on all four of his ankles. He had two spiked appendages protruding from his back, and in the middle was a gray mane that billowed like a cloud of smoke. On his face resided a red and yellow crest, like a mask, with silver spikes drooping down his face like a mustache.

The other was an ice-blue color and looked very feminine, with a very slender body. Two diamond-shaped markings covered her side while two more ran down each leg, and she had a crystal-shaped crest protruding from her head. A purple mane billowed out from the crest, and her nearly transparent tails split out and waved beside her on each side.

I already knew who they were.

"You…you're Entei and Suicune, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes," Suicune said. "And who might you be?"

I stood up slowly and said, "My name is Roku Kimura. I'm a Legend Keeper."

"So that explains it," Entei said. "I could sense your aura in the tower. Suicune suggested that we rescue you."

"We swore that we'd protect the humans from harm," Suicune said. "And even more for the Legend Keepers."

"Wait, so you saved me from the Gastly and Haunter?" I said.

"That is correct, Roku," Suicune said.

"Well, thank you," I said sincerely. "Without you guys, I'd be finished. And just after my induction, too."

"You're new, aren't you?" Entei asked.

"Well, yeah, but I'm skilled," I said, trying to save myself. "I can hold my own in a battle."

"Really?" Entei said, a wolfish grin spreading across his face.

"Entei, don't," Suicune warned.

"No, I want to see how skilled he is," Entei said. "What do you say, human? Think you can take on a legend?"

"Are you challenging me?" I said, smirking. "Alright. Let's battle!"

Suicune shook her head. "You never change, Entei."

* * *

**Reia's P.O.V.**

**Burned Tower**

Reia and Cedric ran back into the tower, Cedric sending out his Pidgeot to fly into the hole and check around the basement floor.

"Roku, are you in there?!" Cedric shouted. "Speak!"

This time, they heard no answer. Reia was already beginning to fear for the worst. What if something had happened to him? She didn't want to think about it.

By this time, Pidgeot had flown back up and said, "I can't find him. There's nothing down there except for a bunch of Ghost Pokémon."

Cedric cocked an eyebrow. Had Roku managed to find a way out?

"Do you think maybe the ghosts ate him?" Reia said, shuddering.

Cedric nearly facepalmed. "I don't think so. I think he just managed to find a way out of the hole. He might be back at the HQ."

"But…if that's the case, shouldn't we have seen him on our way back?" Reia asked.

"I'm not sure…" Cedric replied. "It is curious indeed, but he's not here. Let's just assume that he's safe for the time being."

Reia looked back at the hole, scared for her partner.

_I desperately hope so…_she thought.

* * *

Author's Note: OK, first of all, can a Gastly or Haunter actually eat a human? Kinda curious…

Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review! I haven't gotten anything yet, and it's really depressing…

Strato Abyss signing out.


	29. Pure Terror

Chapter 29: Pure Terror

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Outside Ecruteak City**

"Go, Luna! Use Quick Attack!"

Luna launched herself forward at her opponent at a speed that surprised the Fire-type legend, and slammed into him, knocking him back slightly.

"Ggh! Not bad, little one," Entei taunted. "But I'm no pushover. Fire Spin!"

Entei shot out a ring of fire from his mouth, surrounding Luna in a vortex of fire. But I could see that Luna wasn't afraid, and that she was waiting for the next order.

"Let's go with our new tactic!" I shouted. "Luna, Feint Attack!"

Luna's body grew dark, and she phased through the wall of flames, dashing at Entei and striking him with amazing force. The legend slid across the ground slightly, then looked at Luna in amazement.

"I see you're more than just brawn," Entei said. "But can you finish the fight?"

"No problem!" Luna said confidently, her rings flashing.

"Go now! Feint Attack!" I shouted.

"Ember!" Entei roared.

The Pokémon launched their attacks, both taking considerable damage from the other, but neither one of them were backing down. I could already tell that this was going to be a long battle.

Just then, the mood was broken by a call coming across on my P*DA. I looked down at my wrist, contemplating on whether or not I should take the call or not.

"You'd better get that," I heard Luna say. "It could be Reia."

I nodded and accepted the call. "Hello?"

A holographic picture of Reia shimmered into view and said, "Roku! You're OK!"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered.

"Well, you could've called me!" Reia shouted, her anger taking over. "I thought you were dead!"

"Sorry, I kinda got caught up in something," I said. "You weren't too worried about me, were you?"

"You're dead when you get back," Reia threatened. "Where are you, anyway?"

"Who are you, my mom?" I scowled. "I'm on a hill somewhere outside the city, having a battle with an Entei."

"With a WHAT?!" Reia shouted. "Where'd you find an Entei?!"

"Oh, he and Suicune came by and rescued me from the Burned Tower," I said. "The room was filled with a horde of Gastly and Haunter who were filling the room with a fatal gas. I blacked out, but once I woke up, I was on a hill outside the city."

"Wow, lucky you," Reia said. "Anyway, I'll let Cedric know you're OK. And remember, we still have a Gym Battle to go to."

"Oh, yeah, that's right!" I said. "I'll be down there in a bit."

I hung up and turned to Entei, saying, "Sorry, but I've gotta call off this battle."

"Your girlfriend calling you back?" Entei said calmly.

"She's NOT my girlfriend!" I shouted. Entei chuckled.

"Relax, human. I'm not trying to make assumptions," Entei said. "Anyway, we could take you back to the city if you'd like."

"Really? That'd be great," I said.

"OK," Entei said, turning to Suicune. "You, take the kid back to the city."

"Me?! Why do I have to do it?!" Suicune whined.

"Ugh, I'm not a kid! I'm 17!" I said defensively.

"I carried his weight out of the tower," Entei said. "So you can carry it to the town."

"Ugh, fine," Suicune said, stepping up to me. "Mount me, human."

I cocked my eyebrow and smiled at what Suicune said. Suicune caught on immediately and blushed.

"Th-That's not what I meant!" she said nervously.

I laughed and said, "I'm kidding! I know what you meant." I stepped up and climbed onto Suicune's back, and after hoisting Luna up as well, we bounded down to the western gate out of the city, where she dropped us off.

"Thanks, Suicune," I said, hopping off.

"You're welcome, Roku," she said, nodding. "Just be more careful next time. We could watch over you to make sure you don't get into any danger, if that's what you'd like."

"Uh, I appreciate the gesture, but I'll be fine on my own," I said. "Besides, if I had a mother figure watching over me all the time, it wouldn't be a real journey."

"Haha, very well," Suicune laughed. "Farewell, Roku. I wish you well on your journey."

"Farewell to you as well, Suicune," I replied. "I hope you stay safe."

We nodded at each other and went our separate ways, me farther into the city and Suicune bounding back into the forest. A few minutes later, we found Reia and a new Pokémon I hadn't seen before waiting beside the Gym. It was a tall and slender fox creature with lush golden fur and nine flowing tails.

"Whoa, who's the new partner?" I asked, impressed.

"Very funny, Roku," the Pokémon said, laughing.

"Whoa, Lyra, is that you?!" Luna said in surprise.

"So you finally decided to use the Fire Stone, huh?" I said.

"Ah, actually, I didn't do it," Reia said sheepishly. "Lyra did it on accident when I was digging around in my bag. The Fire Stone fell out right in front of her, and…well, you get it."

"Well, it's not such a bad thing," I said. "Lyra will be a hell of a lot stronger. The only problem is learning new moves."

"We've got someone to help her with that," Luna said. "I bet Braixen can teach her a thing or two."

"Anyway, we've got a Gym Battle to win," I said. "Let's move."

Reia nodded, and we stepped into the Ecruteak Gym for our fourth Gym Battle.

* * *

**Darius' P.O.V.**

**Route 29**

Darius sat out near the southern gate of Ecruteak City, out of view, making sure that no one had tailed him out of the city. Once he saw that no one was following him, he sat back and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew…that's the last thing I need," he said to himself. "The cops to find me and find out who I am."

Darius looked back into the city from the tree he was perched in. As he did, he couldn't help wondering if Roku had made it out alive.

"I wonder if he's OK…?"

Darius shook the thought out of his head. Why was he thinking about that weakling?! He could die in a pit for all he cared! However, when he got to thinking about it, Roku was one hell of a battler. But how was he better? What made Roku stronger than him, the world's strongest Trainer?

"He won't be for long," Darius said to himself. "I will defeat him, and I will become the strongest Trainer."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Ecruteak City Gym**

We stepped into the Gym, and I began to feel nervous. The entire area was dark, but not enough to require Flash, and I knew that this would make the leader's Ghost-type Pokémon stronger.

_But it's also gonna make my Dark-type Pokémon stronger, too, _I thought, looking at Luna.

"Hiya, Roku, Reia!" Stan said, appearing from the darkness. "Here for your next Gym Battle?"

"That's right," I said. "Any advice?"

"Well, you know all about Ghost-type Pokémon, right?" Stan began. "They're weak to Ghost- and Dark-type moves, but Morty's Pokémon are also Poison-type Pokémon. Best to keep a Psychic-type Pokémon on you as well."

"Thanks," I said with a smile. "Let's get started."

"You got it!" Stan said, then got onto his P*DA. "Morty! You got two challengers for a Double Battle. Grab a partner and let's get started."

Reia and I walked onto the battlefield, where a blonde-haired man and a Medium stood.

"I take it that you are my challengers?" the man said, whom I assumed was Morty.

"That's right," I said. "I'm Roku, and this is Reia."

"I'm Morty, leader of this Gym," he introduced. "My partner here is named Lucia."

"Pleased to meet you, young one," the aged Medium said, locking her eyes onto mine. Then she gasped all of a sudden.

"Morty…these two…they're Legend Keepers!" Lucia said.

"Legend Keepers, eh?" Morty said, cocking an eyebrow. "That'll make this interesting. Let's get started."

We took our places on the battlefield. Stan stepped up on the sidelines and announced the start of the match.

"This will be a 3-on-3 battle!" Stan shouted. "The team with the most Pokémon standing is the winner! Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon! Are you ready?!"

We all nodded, pulling out our Poke Balls.

"Send out your first Pokémon!" Stan shouted.

"Go get 'em, Luna!" I shouted, sending my partner in.

"Lyra, spotlight!" Reia said, sending the gorgeous Ninetales into battle.

The two Ghost-type Trainers sent out two Gastly to start out. I wasted no time in making the first move, ordering Luna to use Feint Attack. Lyra was ordered to use Flame Burst, a move I didn't know she even had, to deal damage to both Pokémon. Lucia's Gastly was quickly defeated, and was replaced with a Misdreavus.

"Gastly, use Mean Look!" Morty shouted.

Morty's Pokémon bean to give both Luna and Lyra the evil eye, and I already knew what he was trying to do. Mean Look prevents the opponent from changing Pokémon, but I wasn't worried. Unless one of his Pokémon had something that could totally cripple Luna, we were going to win this match pretty easily.

Our onslaught continued with Lyra running in with a Feint Attack of her own, removing Lucia's Misdreavus from the picture. Lucia replaced it with a Haunter, and right once that happened, Luna had slammed Morty's Gastly with another Feint Attack, defeating him.

"Well, then…time to amp this up," Morty said, sending out his Haunter. I took the opportunity to switch Luna out with Braixen.

"Go, Braixen! Psybeam!" I ordered.

"Haunter, Shadow Ball!" Morty shouted.

The two attacks connected and caused an explosion, giving Braixen a cover as he prepared his next attack. He burst through the cloud with Flame Charge, but Haunter was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Lyra had her hands full, for Lucia's Haunter was moving quick and attacking with Shadow Claw.

"Lyra, get out of there!" Reia said frantically.

"Braixen! Switch targets!" I shouted. "Cover Lyra!"

Braixen nodded and dashed to the side just as Morty's Haunter fired off another Shadow Ball, and tackled Lyra out of the way before Lucia's Haunter's attack connected. Braixen stood up and helped Lyra to her feet.

"Thanks…again," Lyra said, blushing.

"No problem," Braixen said.

"You will not escape!" Haunter shouted, flying at Braixen with Shadow Claw.

"Braixen! Psy—"

"Lyra, Flamethrower!" Reia interrupted.

Lyra stepped in front of Braixen and blew a mighty breath of flame at the unsuspecting ghost, engulfing him in fire and frying him to unconsciousness. That meant Lucia was out of the battle, and all that was left was Morty.

"Lyra…where'd you learn to do that?!" Braixen said, impressed.

"I had a bit of help from the Dragon Master and his Charizard," Lyra said.

I looked at Reia for some enlightenment, for I didn't know what Lyra was talking about.

"She means Lance," Reia clarified. "Right after Lyra's accidental evolution, Lance gave me a quick training exercise before I headed out to the Gym. He managed to help Lyra 'awaken her true flame', as he called it."

"Well, then, I guess we don't have anything to worry about," I said, smiling. "Let's fry us some ghosts."

Braixen and Lyra nodded and faced Morty's Haunter before launching their attacks, Lyra razing him with Flamethrower and Braixen smashing him with Flame Charge. Haunter slammed into the stadium wall, fainted.

"Yeah! Only one more left!" I shouted.

"I'm impressed that you got this far," Morty said, smiling. "But I'm afraid I must defeat you now. Beating Trainers like you will get me one step closer to meeting the Legendary Pokémon!"

"As cool as that sounds, I'm afraid the odds are a little stacked against you," I countered. "We didn't exactly plan to lose when we stepped in here."

"That's right!" Reia said aggressively. "If you wanna win, you've gotta work for it!"

"Very well…" Morty said, pulling out his final Poke Ball. "Gengar, battle stance!"

Morty threw the ball and released one of the most feared Ghost-type Pokémon in the world. I wasn't afraid, however, since Braixen could still force out a win even against a strong Pokémon like Gengar.

"Now, Gengar! Mean Look!" Morty shouted.

The field locking move took effect once again, and Lyra and Braixen made their moves, firing off their beam attacks, Flamethrower and Psybeam. Gengar used Shadow Sneak, however, and slid underneath the attacks, completely avoiding damage.

"Now, use Hypnosis!" Morty shouted.

The Shadow Pokémon's gaze sharpened, and soon enough, our Pokémon dropped to the ground, fast asleep. I pulled out Braixen's Poke Ball, but then I realized that Mean Look was in effect, and we were practically sitting ducks. Reia and I watched in horror as Gengar repeatedly attacked our Pokémon to the point where we weren't aware if they were fainted or dead.

"Braixen!"

"Lyra!"

Just then, the doors burst open with a roar and a Dragon Pulse, searing between Reia and I to connect with Gengar and knock him back to his side of the field. I looked back to the direction the attack came from to see Latias, her mouth smoking.

"Latias!" I said in surprise. "You shouldn't be moving around just yet. You need to rest."

"Oh, can it. I'm fine," Latias said, showing me her neck, which surprisingly didn't have a scar. "Cedric didn't want you taking advantage of my power to defeat Morty."

Almost as if on cue, Cedric ran in, breathing heavily.

"Damn, you can fly!" he huffed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "I didn't expect you to be THAT fast!"

I facepalmed and said, "What do you expect for a Pokémon who can overtake jet fighters?"

"Either way, I'm involved in this fight now," Latias said, hovering to the field.

"I can't let you," Cedric said. "Not yet."

"It's fine, Cedric," Morty said, stopping him. "Besides, it'll be the first real challenge I've had since…well, forever."

"You sure, Morty?" Cedric said. "Roku beat me on his first try, something few Legend Keepers can boast. He's good."

"I'll leave that for fate to decide," Morty said. "If Latias wants to fight beside her partner, she's free to. But I'll be bringing something new to the table as well."

With that remark, Morty held up a wrist to reveal none other than a Mega Bracelet. I laughed and held up my Mega Bracelet as well, causing Morty to raise his eyebrows.

"What, you thought you were the only one who could use Mega Evolution?" I asked.

"No, I just didn't expect one so young as you to have already mastered it," Morty said. "You just keep surprising me, young Legend Keeper."

"Then let's cut the surprises and get down to business," I said coolly.

Morty nodded, and we touched our Key Stones, unlocking the amazing power within our souls and Mega Evolving our partners. Reia sent out her Eevee as a backup, but I could already tell that she wasn't going to get a chance to fight.

"I know I'm not going to be able to match his power," Reia said, "so Eevee and I'll provide support as best as we can."

"Thanks," I said. Then I faced Morty and his Mega Gengar, smirking.

"Let's see who really deserves to walk with the legends!" Morty shouted.

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" I shot back. "Latias, Mist Ball!"

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

Latias and Gengar's energy attacks slammed into each other, causing another massive explosion and another cloud of smoke, allowing for both Pokémon to prepare for their attacks. Latias wasn't wasting any time, though, immediately flying through the cloud to fire a Dragon Pulse at the unsuspecting Gengar.

"Gengar, use Shadow Sneak!" Morty shouted.

Gengar recovered and sank into the ground, sneaking over to Latias, who just said "Neener neener" and floated out of his range.

"Hey! No fair, you can't just do that!" Gengar shouted kiddishly.

"I'm not breaking the rules of engagement, am I?" Latias said, smiling devilishly.

I just laughed and said, "OK, Latias, quit screwing around and let's end this."

Latias looked down at me and huffed. "Aw, come on! I'm just having fun!"

"Well, how about we have fun destroying our 4th Gym Leader?" I said, thrusting a hand forward. "Finish it with Mist Ball!"

Latias nodded and charged up her attack as best as she could before firing the orb at Gengar. It slammed into the Mega Evolved Ghost Pokémon, dealing massive damage and knocking him unconscious. Morty was absolutely astounded, his expression becoming one of disbelief as Gengar devolved.

"Mega Gengar is unable to battle!" Stan shouted. "The winner is Mega Latias! The victory goes to Roku Kimura and Reia Sakurai!"

"Aw, yeah! That's how we do it!" I shouted victoriously.

"We did it!" Reia cheered, sharing in the moment.

Morty eventually composed himself and walked over, handing us our 4th Gym Badge, the Fog Badge.

"It seems like I'm not truly ready to walk alongside the legendary Pokémon yet," Morty said. "But you, Roku, are a different story. I will be training, and I hope you come back one day to fight me." Morty held out a hand, a smile on his face.

"I'll take you up on that," I said, shaking his hand. Morty and I nodded at each other, and we left, Latias in her human camouflage. The evening sun lit up the town a little bit, giving it a slight orange glow.

"Cedric says we can stay at the HQ tonight to get some R&amp;R before we continue our journey," Reia informed me.

"Yeah," I agreed. "It wouldn't be a wise idea to take off in our condition." I thought about our Pokémon as I said this, and I knew that Reia was hoping Lyra was OK. I was hoping the same thing for Braixen.

We continued to the HQ, the feeling of victory still fresh in our minds.

* * *

Author's Note: Not much to say now. Just read and review, I guess.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	30. Training Session

Chapter 30: Training Session

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Unknown Location**

"So…you finally became a Legend Keeper," Celestrix said.

"That's correct," I replied. "We're one step closer to completing our mission."

"I hate to have to burden you like this," Celestrix said sympathetically. "This should've been my mission alone."

"Don't worry about me," I said. "It's no burden. I'm not gonna let Team Prime take over this world; not without a fight. I'll do everything I can to stop that."

"I can't thank you enough, Roku," Celestrix said. "I believe a gift is in order."

The white dragon produced a small stone from her chest, passing it to me. It was orange in color, with a blue and red swirl in the center.

"That is a Mega Stone for your Lucario," Celestrix said. "Use it to help you in your quest."

"Lucarionite?!" I said, holding the stone like it was a holy relic. "Thanks!"

"You're very welcome," Celestrix said. "I'll let you return to your world now."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Legend Keeper HQ**

I woke up to see Reia getting dressed. I quickly dove under the covers to make sure she didn't accuse me of being a peeping tom.

_Definitely doesn't help that my bed is directly in front of the bathroom, _I thought to myself.

As soon as I heard the bathroom door shut, I pushed the covers off and got up, heading to the laundry room attached to our room and washing my clothes again. After about two hours, I got dressed and stepped out just as Reia was putting her felt hat on.

"Hey, you're awake!" Reia said. "Did Celestrix hijack your head again?"

"Yeah," I said. "She gave me this."

I pulled out the Lucarionite Celestrix gave me and showed it to Reia, which caused her to gasp.

"A Mega Stone?!" she shouted. "Wow, what a gift!"

"Yeah, tell me about it," I said, putting it back in my pocket. "So, are we heading out?"

"Not yet," Reia said. "Cedric says he wants to see you for a bit."

"OK," I said, clipping my belt and heading out the door. Reia decided to follow me out, saying that she was curious.

Eventually, we got to his office, and I stepped in, saying, "You wanted to see me, Cedric?"

Cedric turned from his view of the Sanctuary and said, "Yes. I need you to follow me to the arena for a bit…alone."

I looked at Reia, who had a weird look on her face. I guess she was trying to decipher Cedric's tone. Now that I think about it, he did seem a little different today.

"Uh...OK," I said, hesitating slightly.

I followed Cedric down to the arena, him closing the doors behind us.

"What's this about?" I asked.

"You still have your sword, don't you?" Cedric asked.

"Well, yeah, I always keep it on me," I said, pulling it from my back.

"Good," Cedric said, moving to a rack in the back of the room. "You may not know, but we Legend Keepers carry weapons as well. These have been empowered by the very Legendary Pokemon we've sworn to protect."

Cedric pulled a sword from the rack, and I jumped back in surprise as the sword erupted in flame. Cedric swung it around like it was second-nature, and he got into a battle stance.

"This sword had been infused with the aura of my partner, Moltres," Cedric explained. "And I think it's time you learn how to use the blade gifted to you by your guardian. Now, enter your best stance."

I nodded and entered my usual stance; with my knees bent, heels off the ground, and my blade in a horizontal position above my head.

"Good. You've done this before, haven't you?" Cedric said.

"Yeah, Latias and I used to spar before she left," I replied.

"OK, then let's see how well you can block my attack," Cedric said, a smile on his face, before he rushed me.

Now, a normal person would've dove out of the way when they saw 250 pounds of muscle charging at them. But I planted my feet in the ground, and right as Cedric swung down, I swung and knocked the sword aside, spinning around once and pointing my sword at his neck.

"Well, well," Cedric said, looking down at the blade. "Not bad, Kimura. You've got some skill."

"Your attacks are far too predictable, Cedric," I said, smiling and retracting my sword. I jumped back and went back into my beginning stance. "Now let's see your real moves!"

"You want a real sparring match?!" Cedric shouted, entering a forward stance. "You've got one!"

Cedric and I ran at each other, both on the offensive. I had to admit, despite Cedric's style being like that of a berserker, he had some amazing defense. After about 5 or 6 minutes, we were standing a fair distance apart, both of us breathing heavily. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't as exhausted as I should've been. Cedric was a big guy, as I'd mentioned earlier, and guarding from his strong attacks would've taken some serious power.

"Hah...hah...looks like I underestimated you a bit," Cedric huffed. I could tell that his age was getting the better of him.

"Hah...hah...so, are we done yet?" I said. "I don't mean to be rude, but Reia and I have to hit the road, and there's obviously no need for training me, since I already have the skill."

"That's where you're wrong, Roku," Cedric said, stabbing his sword in the ground. "Despite you possessing a good knowledge of how to wield a blade, you still have a lot to learn."

Cedric pulled his sword back up, and I entered a defensive stance, ready for round 2. But then, I dropped my guard as soon as Cedric walked to the back wall and put his sword back on the rack.

"That being said, I don't believe that there's anything I can teach you," Cedric said. "I can't keep you here longer than you should be. Besides, you still have a Gym challenge to finish."

I nodded and sheathed my sword. Cedric walked up to me and held out a hand, saying, "Be strong, Roku Kimura. Never give in, and your dreams will come true."

"Farewell, Cedric," I said, shaking his hand. "I wish you well."

I turned around and walked out of the arena, and after stopping by the Mega Evolution specialist to get Lucario fitted with a mount, walked out to the elevator, Reia and Zuki beside me. Luna and Latias were also out, ready to hit the road.

As we exited the Dance Theater, Zuki stopped us and said, "I believe that this is where we must part ways. My sisters need me back at the HQ, and there can't be a Dance Theater without all five of us."

"I understand, Zuki," I said, holding out a hand. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

Tears welled up in Zuki's eyes, and she rushed in and hugged me, surprising pretty much all of us.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," she said in-between sobs. "It's been fun these past few days traveling with you."

"I'll miss you too, Zuki," I replied, hugging her back. Just then, I heard the doors open, and out walked Calem, shaking his head.

"Geez, another sob story," he scoffed. "Come on. If we want to reach Olivine quickly, we need to get moving now."

"He's right," Latias said, tears streaming down her face as well. "Let's go. I was always a sucker for sad goodbyes."

I released Zuki and waved goodbye, heading to the west gate of Ecruteak City and heading out to Route 38.

"So, got any info on our next challenge?" Reia asked.

"I believe Olivine is home to Jasmine, the Steel-type Gym Leader," Calem said. "Her pride and joy is a Steelix, and that suggests that maybe she's also able to use Mega Evolution."

"Just because her Pokemon's capable of it doesn't mean she can awaken its true power," I said. "The fact that Morty was able to Mega Evolve his Gengar was entirely coincidental."

"Even so, we should exercise caution," Calem said. "There's no telling what she could do."

"No problem!" Luna said confidently. "We can take anything that gets in our way! Right, Roku?"

"Yeah!" I said, getting pumped. "There's no way we'll lose to her!"

With our hopes up as high as the sky, we increased our pace to the next route, hoping to get there as fast as we could.

* * *

**Unknown P.O.V.**

**Olivine Lighthouse**

At the highest point of Olivine's famous lighthouse, a lone Ampharos lay sleeping peacefully. Ears twitching dreamily, it had no idea that there was something lurking just outside the glass, looking inside.

"Have you found the Ampharos?" said a voice through a speaker in the figure's ear.

"I'm looking at it as we speak," said the figure, slowly removing the window pane. He leaned it up against the glass and stepped inside, pulling a vile out of his pocket.

"Good. Inject the essence into it," the voice commanded. "The townspeople won't even know what hit them when they see what's happened to their beloved Ampharos."

The figure snuck up quietly to the snoozing Pokemon before pressing a small needle into its neck and releasing whatever was in the vile into the Ampharos' bloodstream. Soon enough, the Pokemon began to shudder violently, crying out in pain, and all that remained was a whisper as the window was replaced and the figure disappeared into the night.

The lights came on as the entire city heard the Ampharos' cries, and a young woman with light brown hair exited the Pokemon Gym, looking up at the lighthouse.

"What's going on?!" she said to herself, rushing in the direction of the lighthouse. She didn't slow down until she reached the top floor, and when she did, she saw the Ampharos that lit up the lighthouse standing up, facing away from her.

"Amphy?" she said cautiously, taking a step towards the Pokemon. "Are you OK?"

Amphy turned around and looked at her with piercing eyes; eyes filled with hatred. The woman took a step back, scared slightly. Amphy soon screamed loudly and launched a Power Gem attack at her. The woman dove to the floor, the stones flying right above her.

"Jasmine!" she heard a voice shout. She looked behind her to see one of the Trainers who trained at her Gym standing there, holding a Poke Ball.

"It's not safe! You need to get out of here!" he shouted, throwing the ball. "Go, Doublade!"

The ball exploded, releasing the Ghost- and Steel-type Pokemon to take on the now rogue Amphy.

"Doublade, use Shadow Sneak!" the Trainer shouted.

Doublade sunk into the shadows and reappeared behind Amphy, slashing it twice with its twin swords. Amphy sprawled forward, but righted itself and used Thunderbolt, delivering a powerful electric shock to the sword Pokemon and knocking it out in one hit.

"Uh, oh," the Trainer said sheepishly, returning his fallen Pokemon. Amphy screamed violently once more, and Jasmine closed her eyes, waiting for an attack. But all she heard was a body falling to the ground. Jasmine opened her eyes again to see Amphy on the ground, unconscious.

"What...?" she said, standing up. She pulled up her P*DA and dialed a number, saying, "This is Jasmine. I have a bit of a problem here, and I need your help."

* * *

Author's Note: Sooooo sorry for the EXTREMELY delayed update, but I haven't been able to write in quite a while due to my tablet biting the dust. I graduated high school in May and just now converted my documents to an older format so they would be editable on my old PC.

So anyway, I'm hoping to get this story back up and running, and please review. I have to know what you think and any suggestions on how I can make this story better will be accepted graciously.

Strato Abyss signing out.


	31. A Pokemon Emergency

Chapter 31: A Pokemon Emergency

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 39**

We'd been traveling for at least half the day, and nighttime had fallen by this time. Reia and I had decided to rest for the night, much to Calem's disagreement, and set up a campsite. Luna and I had gathered firewood, and Lyra lit it ablaze with her new fiery techniques. After we had cooked dinner, Calem decided to hit the sack early, and Reia and I were sitting up on top of a hill, looking at the biggest full moon we'd ever seen.

"The moon looks really pretty tonight," Reia commented.

"Yeah," I replied, a calm feeling sweeping over me. "It's almost like nothing could ruin a night like this."

I felt something press against me, and I looked over to see that Reia had scooted closer to me, her head resting on my shoulder.

"You know, I just realized how long it's been since we first met," Reia said. "It feels much longer than what it really was."

That was true. We hadn't even known each other for a month, and it already feels like I'd known her forever. And during our time traveling together, we'd grown really close.

"I guess I should thank you for that," I said.

Reia looked at me with a puzzled look on her face. "Thank me for what?"

"For asking to join me on my journey," I said, looking her in the eye. "If you weren't there when I left New Bark Town, I never would've heard of the Legend Keepers, let alone where Latias was."

"Oh, uh...you're welcome," she said, her tone changing.

Reia looked away. I could tell that I didn't exactly say the right thing. I turned her head back to where I could look her in the eye again and said, "Of course, that's not the only reason. You're a great friend, Reia, and an amazing partner. To tell you the truth, I probably wouldn't have gotten this far without you, and I don't only mean in the battling part of it."

"Really?" Reia said, her eyes glimmering in the light of the moon.

"Really," I confirmed, a soft smile forming on my face.

Reia leaned in closer, and right as our eyes were closing...

RING! RING!

I backed up and looked at my ringing P*DA with disgust, noticing that it was a call from Cedric.

_Great, thanks for ruining the moment, Cedric, _I thought to myself, accepting the call.

"Hello?" I said roughly.

"Ah, Roku," Cedric said. "And Reia, too, I see. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Reia and I looked at each other, and she said, "Nope. Nothing at all."

"Great! I have an important mission for you," Cedric said informatively. "Calem needs to be briefed on this as well."

"Uh, he's sawing logs right now," I said. "Anyway, what's the mission?"

"I just got a call from the Gym Leader of Olivine City that the Ampharos that lights up the lighthouse there has been acting very aggressive as of late, even going so far as to attack her," Cedric said. "We have reason to believe that Ampharos has fallen prey to Team Prime's Shadow project. I need you to head down there and render assistance."

"In other words..." I said, pointing at the sword handle sticking out from behind my back. "You want me to purify it."

"If possible, yes," Cedric said. "Jasmine has informed me that as of right now, Ampharos is contained. It won't be escaping anytime soon. I know you need rest after traveling for as long as you have, but I suggest heading out as early as possible. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

"Good. Jasmine and I are counting on you for this one, Roku," Cedric said before hanging up. I scowled, knowing that the mood was officially dead, but I laid back with my hands behind my head, not wanting to move from this spot. I guess Reia had the same idea, because she was curled up next to me, snoozing away.

"Good night, Reia," I said silently before closing my own eyes.

* * *

**Latias' P.O.V.**

**Route 39**

A tear slid down Latias' face as she watched Roku and Reia from the sky. She slowly floated back down and landed, turning into her human disguise.

"I guess...Roku's made his choice," she said to herself. "But I guess it's only natural. I mean...no human could ever love a Pokemon...Not in the way I love him..."

* * *

**Roku's P.O.V.**

**Route 39**

My eyes fluttered open to a bright sky filled with puffy clouds.

"Kinda reminds me of the skies over Kalos," I heard Reia say.

I sat up to see her and Lyra getting packed up and ready to go. I stood up and saw that Luna and Calem were walking up the hill together.

"Hey, lovebirds," Luna joked, cracking a smile. "Sleep well last night?"

I scowled and said, "I should ask the same for you. You and Calem seemed to be getting pretty close."

Luna and Calem looked at each other, then they stepped away from each other.

"Ooh, hoo hoo, shots fired," Lyra said, laughing. "Anyway, wasn't there something you guys were supposed to brief us on?"

"What, so now you're eavesdropping on us?" Reia said.

"Anyway..." I interrupted, stepping forward. "We got a call from Cedric last night, and he gave us an assignment."

"What kind of assignment are we talking here?" Calem asked.

"A purification," I continued. "Apparently, the Ampharos that lights up the Olivine Lighthouse has been showing signs of hostility and aggression towards humans, even the Gym Leader, who looks after it. Cedric thinks that Team Prime might've had something to do with it."

"But why attack the Lighthouse?" Luna asked, puzzled.

"Because they want to hinder us," said a voice. I turned to see Latias walk up behind me.

"Latias, why do you think so?" I asked.

"The Lighthouse is a very important tool for sailors," Latias said informatively. "If they don't have a light to guide them safely to shore, they could be in real danger. They want us to save the Ampharos, because it will hold us back from completing our mission."

"Are you suggesting we should just skip it and move on?" Calem said.

"No. That's not an option," I said. "Cedric gave us a direct order. Hold-up or not, that Pokemon's in trouble. And it's our duty as Legend Keepers to help it."

"That's right!" Reia exclaimed. "Let's hurry!"

We finished packing up and headed for Olivine City at a brisk pace, even starting to run. We didn't stop for any of the Trainers that hung out on the road; we just kept running until we reached the city, which was only about a couple hours at least.

"Huff...huff...Sheesh, I didn't expect a run like that to be so tiring!" Reia said, putting her hands on her knees and resting.

"Aw, come on! Latias and I used to chase each other around New Bark Town! This is nothing!" I laughed, looking at Latias. "Right, Latias?"

My smile turned into a frown when I saw Latias looking down, a sad look in her eyes.

"Hey, are you OK?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Hm?" she said, looking up at me. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess."

I looked at her, knowing that something was wrong. I could see it in her eyes.

"Well, OK, then," I said, deciding to let it slide. "Come on, let's go check on Ampharos."

We continued on towards the lighthouse, and as we walked past the Gym, a familiar looking guy with red hair stepped out. He turned around, and once he saw me, he scowled.

"You again, huh?" he said. I scowled back and reached for one of my Poke Balls.

"Relax, weakling," Darius said. "I'm not here to pick fights this time. The mood's already been killed."

"What do you mean?" I said, pulling my hand back to its original position.

"I came here looking for the Gym Leader, and it turns out that she's trying to care for a Pokemon with 'aggression problems'," Darius said. "Shame...I could use a Pokemon like that. One like that would probably never lose a fight."

I just shook my head and said, "Whatever. If you're not here to pick a fight, then I'm outta here. I don't have the time to waste on people like you."

I shoved past Darius and continued on to the lighthouse, taking the elevator up to the top floor. Once we got there, we saw that the Ampharos had been locked in the lighting chamber, and it was slamming its body onto the walls trying to get out.

"You must be Roku..."

We turned to see a shy looking girl with light brown hair stepping up to us.

"Yes, I am," I said. "And you must be Jasmine, Olivine's Gym Leader."

"I am," she said. "Cedric told me that you might be able to cure Amphy...Can you?"

"Of course," I said. I turned to Calem and said, "You'll have to open the door so I can do my thing."

"Huff, fine," Calem said, moving to the door that was keeping Amphy locked up. He disengaged the lock, and the door swung open right as I drew my sword.

"OK, this shouldn't take long," I said, raising my sword.

"Wait!"

The next thing I knew, the door had closed, and Jasmine was standing in front of me, arms spread out and a look of fear in her eyes.

"What are you doing?!" I shouted, lowering my blade. "I thought you wanted to cure Amphy!"

"Not in the way you were going about it!" Jasmine shouted. "I thought Cedric said to help Amphy, not harm her!"

"_Aw, come on, let the kid try!"_ said a dark voice from the other side. _"It's not like he can really harm me!"_

"OK, what would you suggest we do?" I asked her, ignoring Amphy's taunts.

"Well, there's always the pharmacy down in Cianwood City," Jasmine said. "I hear there's a cure-all that might help her."

"OK, we'll go there and check it out," I said. "But, if the medicine doesn't work, this sword is the only way to cure Amphy. If it comes down to it, you can't interrupt me."

"OK...I understand," Jasmine said. "You'll have to cross the sea to reach Cianwood. It's a bit of a long trip, so be careful."

"We'll be careful," I said, sheathing my sword. "And we'll be back as soon as we can."

Jasmine nodded her head, and we took the elevator back down to the ground floor. As we were walking out, I sighed loudly.

"Kind of anticlimactic, if you ask me," I said. "And now we have to do even more work!"

"Do we even have a Pokemon that can cross the water?" Reia asked. "I don't think Calem's Greninja will be able to hold all of us."

"Yeah, and neither will his Charizard or Latias," I said, looking at my Pokemon, who shrugged her shoulders. "So flight's out of the question."

"Don't worry, I have someone who can help," Calem said. "Just give me a few seconds."

Calem held up his wrist and accessed his contact list on his P*DA. After selecting a name, a holographic image of a man with black wavy hair and slight stubble appeared. He looked to be in his fifties.

"Hello, Calem! It's been a while, how are you?" the man said.

"I'm doing good, Professor," Calem said, turning so the man could see us. "And so is Reia."

"Hi, Professor!" Reia said cheerfully.

"Reia! It's good to see you!" he said, returning the cheerful mood. Then he saw me and asked, "And who's this?"

"This is Roku Kimura," Reia said, introducing me. "Roku, this is Kalos' very own Professor Augustine Sycamore. He's the one who got us started on our journeys."

"Nice to meet you, Roku," Professor Sycamore said. Then he turned back to Calem and said, "So, what can I do for you? I know you didn't call just to chat."

"I need you to transmit Lapras through my PC account," Calem said. "I'm in need of his services."

"I take it you're not carrying a full belt?" Professor Sycamore asked.

"No, sir," Calem confirmed.

"Well, alright! I'll send him over right away!" the professor said, disappearing from view. A few seconds later, a Poke Ball materialized from his wrist. He grabbed it, and Professor Sycamore came back into view.

"Thank you, Professor," Calem said. "I have to go now."

"Very well," the professor said. "Good bye, you two. And good bye to you too, Roku Kimura. I hope we get a chance to meet in person."

I nodded and gave a slight wave before the line was cut. Calem shrunk the ball and put it on his belt, saying, "Let's go."

We headed out to Route 40, where the ocean started, and Calem threw out his new Pokemon, which resembled a plesiosaur with a bumpy shell on his back. I pulled up the Pokedex for a closer look at Lapras.

"Lapras, the Transport Pokemon. Lapras is highly intelligent, being able to understand human speech. People have driven this Pokemon almost to the point of extinction. In the evenings, Lapras is said to sing plaintively as it seeks what few others of its kind still remain."

"Wow, that's sad," I said. "That must hurt, knowing that there are few of you left."

"I thank you for your sympathy, young one," Lapras said. He turned back to Calem and said, "I understand that you are in need of a transport."

"Yes, Lapras," Calem said. "We need to get to Cianwood City to get some medicine for a sick Pokemon."

"Very well," Lapras said, shoving itself off into the water. "Please, climb onto my back."

"Uh, are you sure?" I asked. "I mean, there's three of us and only one of you."

"No need to worry about me," Lapras said. "I can carry all of you and more on my back."

Reia and I returned Luna and Lyra to their Poke Balls, and we piled onto Lapras' back. Lapras looked forward, and we slowly began our journey across the sea.

* * *

Author's Note: Anyone notice the cameo in there? Those of you who played Mystery Dungeon would know who I'm talking about. Anyway, please read and review.

Strato Abyss signing out.


End file.
